Rebellion
by sarsars
Summary: The Final Destination's army has made its attack on the fifteen realms of Nintendo's mascots. Separated from each other and attacked by a threat that completely overwhelms them divided, the fifteen Realm Representatives must be brought together to unite in the one safe haven left: Rebellion.
1. Prologue

In the heart of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach's magnificent castle overlooked the sprawling collection of mushroom-shaped houses that made up Toad Town. Near the outskirts of the southern part of town, hidden in an alleyway that hid nearly all light, two Toads stood directly across from each other. One was awake and alert, standing tall with his spear firmly planted in the ground. His companion was half-asleep, his grip on his spear already failing as it tilted and tilted. Although fully determined to fulfill his duty and wearing a stern and concentrated expression to match, the Toad betrayed a hint of amusement as he watched his companion's spear finally escape its grip and clatter to the ground.

"Wha-" His companion sputtered as he groggily swung his empty hand at the unseen threat. "What's going on?"

"You fell asleep," The Toad replied, pointing his own spear at the fallen one. "Pick up your weapon; you don't want to be caught off-guard."

His companion glanced at him strangely, snorting in amusement. "I'm sure the scary invisible monster we've been guarding for the past six months will finally attack tonight." Although the Toad replied with sardonic annoyance, he couldn't help but look at the giant black maw of a tunnel that lay beside them.

"Whatever comes out of that tunnel, we have to be ready for it," The Toad reminded him of their mission. "We don't know where it goes; we don't know what is on the other side. We just have to warn the princess if we hear anything."

His companion waved his free hand in dismissal. He'd been reprimanded more times than he could count for sleeping on guard duty, but he'd never slept through any sort of danger. He had lost interest in whatever was on the other side long ago; all he knew was that it was an easy job that paid well and gave him a good night's rest.

"When this is over," the Toad sighed, not wanting to be the only one awake for another night. "I'll buy you a Shroom Steak at Tayce T.'s." His companion's head perked up at the promise of food. "Only if you stay awake the entire night. Otherwise, you buy me one. Deal?"

His companion nodded. "Deal."

But before either of them could say anything else, both of them heard the faintest of noises from the tunnel. They'd been tricked by the sounds of the night before, but this was unmistakably inside the tunnel itself.

"Tell me I was imagining that," The Toad's companion pleaded. He got a shaken head in response and slammed his spear into the ground. "Then I'll go get the princess."

"No," The Toad said, his curiosity getting the better of him. He'd guarded this empty thing for too long to run at the first noise. "We need to make sure it isn't a false alarm."

"Are you crazy?" His companion seethed. "This is exactly what the princess warned us against doing!"

But the words were ignored, as the Toad had already stepped into the mouth of the tunnel. Immediately he saw his entire world bathed in a faint blue light, and what once was pitch-black was now bright and visible. He motioned for his companion to come forward, and begrudgingly his request was answered.

The tunnel had blessed them with sight, but it also gave the pair a heightened sense of danger. Thoughts of retreating invaded their minds, but when they pressed onward the thoughts were replaced with a sense of foreboding and death, as if the tunnel itself was telling them that they weren't going to survive.

Despite this, the pair continued. The tunnel traveled straight for ages, but then it sharply turned and turned again, and it was at this unnatural turn that the pair heard what they had heard before.

"I hate this damn thing," A deep voice muttered in annoyance. "I feel like it's fighting me."

"It knows we're attacking," A much higher-pitched voice replied, a voice that almost sounded familiar to the frightened Toads. "It knows we don't belong."

"Shut the hell up Willicent," Another gruff voice laughed. "Don't give this tunnel a personality. It just makes you creepier."

"What is going on?" The Toad's companion whispered as quietly as he could. "I'm terrified! These people sound awful! Why aren't we running?"

The Toad would have responded, but he felt a strange curiosity flowing through him, and he felt no compulsion to leave. He leaned against the corner, keeping as close to the wall as he could in the single shadowed area in the tunnel. His companion, having no desire to abandon him, ran up to the wall. They waited in silence as the voices came closer.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Lenny," a younger voice laughed. "No one will ever forget you and the chickens."

"The noises those things made," A fifth voice chuckled. "Mark it's a shame you missed it."

"I'm sure it was hilarious," A sixth voice, slightly higher pitched than the others, replied humorlessly.

"Damn, you're not the least bit curious?" The younger voice asked. "Hell, when we're done with this mission, we'll tell you all about it."

"Seriously, guys," the deep voice said. "This tunnel is fighting us I think Willicent is right."

"It's a tunnel." Lenny said. "It can't do a damn thing but sit there."

"Explain the blue light," The deep voice demanded.

"Hell if I know," Lenny said. "Hell if I care!"

"For a stealth mission, we're all being extremely loud," said the fifth voice.

"True," Lenny snickered. "Shut the fuck up, James."

The fifth voice sighed. "Lenny, if you don't treat me with respect, you'll be hit by a stray bullet."

"Okay, everyone," The younger voice said quickly. "Enough talking. I'll report you if I hear any more threats."

Then suddenly the six figures moved around the corner. Four of them were large and bulky, easily over six feet tall; one was the tallest of them all but thin and lanky, and the sixth, the one in front, still had the bulk but was a foot shorter than the rest. Three of the larger men were glaring at each other – Lenny, James, and the younger voice attempting to pacify them. The attention of all of the men were focused on the argument, so no one noticed the two Toads staring at them.

The six men were clearly soldiers, dressed in full-body camouflage gear, ski masks covering their faces, combat boots, and thick helmets. Large rifles were strapped around their shoulders, and attached to their belts were slots for a pistol, several frag grenades and smoke grenades, and extra ammunition. Attached to their boots were large, jagged combat knives.

"Be careful Richard," Lenny snorted. "You might find yourself with a bullet in your head if you threaten James again." His eyes narrowed. "He's dangerous."

"Enough, please," Mark sighed, keeping his eyes focused ahead and putting distance between himself and the others. "We can fight when we're safe."

"New guy's right," Richard nodded. "We're gaining nothing by doing this."

"I don't know," Lenny shrugged. "Six of us. Six-way split of the reward. Maybe James wants to take one of us down."

"We don't get paid for this op," The sixth man, the one with the deepest voice and the largest of them all, said. "You're making excuses."

"You are being ridiculous," Willicent, the lanky one, muttered, shaking his head. His head paused as he caught the shadow of something out of the corner of his eyes. He turned his head to the side and saw the two Toads staring at him, their eyes filled with fear.

Time seemed to freeze as Willicent contemplated them. The Toads wanted to take this brief moment of surprise to run away, but something was telling them not to move. Then the moment passed, and mercifully Willicent smiled slightly and turned his attention back to the soldiers.

The Toads glanced at each other, their expressions a mixture of relief and confusion, but that one moment made them relax their grips on their spears. The Toad's companion's sweaty palms were slippery, and weakened grip caused the spear to slip from his hand. He gasped silently and reached forward for it, managing to catch it before it reached the ground.

But something told the Toads to run away, and the Toad grabbed his companion's arm and crawled around the corner. That one flash of movement had gotten the attention of the largest soldier, and he saw the Toads run away.

"We've got company, boys," The deep voice said in amusement, stopping their arguing. "Couple of freaks ran off. They were watching us."

"They've got nowhere to run," Lenny muttered. "They'd be shot on sight back home."

"I'm not risking it," the largest man said, and he turned the corner with his assault rifle held high. But unbeknownst to him, the Toads hadn't run away. They had their spears aimed high and charged at the soldier as soon as he came into view. His rifle sprayed bullets over the Toads' heads and, as the spears stabbed into his chest and his arms flailed around, into his fellow soldiers.

The soldiers ducked to the side to avoid what they could, and the largest soldier crashed into the wall with two spears lodged in his chest. He grunted in pain, and the Toads tried to wrench their weapons free, but the man let his rifle drop to the ground and grabbed the spears, holding them in place.

"Stupid idea, you freaks," the giant man growled, ripping the spears out and throwing them to the side. Only the tips were dipped in blood, as most of the damage had been absorbed by the multiple layers of protection the soldier was wearing.

"Run!" The Toad's companion shouted. But both of the Toads were seized by the man and lifted helplessly into the air. They flailed about in a desperate attempt to escape.

"Buck!" Richard shouted. The largest soldier turned to the side and saw most of his team surrounding one of them. "Lenny's been shot!"

"He should've ducked," Buck snorted. "Someone kill these fucks for me."

"Later," Richard said. "Help us patch him up!"

Buck barely even moved. He was counting. "Where's the new guy?"

"Mark?" Willicent asked. "He's right…" His voice trailed off as he looked ahead at the tunnel's exit. "Mark?"

Buck stepped forward and looked around the corner. Mark was standing with a grenade in his hand. The pin had been pulled.

"The hell are you-" Buck began.

"Get away from the Mushroom Kingdom!" Mark shouted, throwing the grenade and running away. The grenade landed at Lenny's feet, and the soldiers abandoned their ally to escape the blast. Buck threw the Toads at the grenade, and they bounced off Lenny and crashed into the wall.

For the second time that night, time froze for the two Toads. Only this wasn't going to end in happiness. The pair watched Mark sprint into the Mushroom Kingdom, and they were mysteriously aware that this would be the end of them, despite never seeing the strange black egg before. But even though they knew they were going to die, they weren't afraid. They were filled with courage, and they even smiled at each other one last time.

"I still owe you a Shroom Steak," the Toad said.

His companion managed a laugh. "I'll pay for yours later."

The grenade exploded, completely engulfing the Toads, Lenny and the S-bend in a fiery blaze. The ceiling collapsed, sending rocks crashing and covering the majority of the tunnel in debris.

Mark slowed down when he was clear of the tunnel, pushing his back against the wall of the house and preparing himself for the blast. The explosion caused the entire alley to shake, and he struggled to keep his balance. He clutched his chest, felt his heart beating faster than it ever had before. He waited a few moments to calm down, hoping against hope that the Toads had managed to escape.

He looked back in the tunnel, saw that debris had completely covered it, and was satisfied. He stripped the camouflage gear and hid his clothing in a corner of the alley. He covered the rifle and most of the weapons with the clothing, keeping the pistol, the knife, and a few magazines by his feet. He removed a large square from the side of one of the houses, revealing a hollow area where a red shirt, a pair of blue overalls, brown shoes, and a red hat were folded neatly inside.

Mark put on his familiar clothes and stared at his hat sadly. He rubbed a smidge of dirt off the red M then set it on his head, and then he picked up the weapons on the ground. He looked back at the tunnel, and then the full gravity of the situation seeped in.

"Mamma mia," Mario muttered. He gave the Toads a moment of silence, promising to honor them once this was all over. But he didn't waste much time mourning the fallen; his mission wasn't over, and he still had one last duty to perform for the Mushroom Kingdom. "I have to warn the princess before it's too late!"


	2. Chapter 1

Mario crept out of the alleyway, making sure that nobody was in sight. The mission had been a secret from everyone, and he still had the mindset that the villagers shouldn't know about it. But then everything he had heard in the past several hours flooded back to him. He took a single step forward in secrecy, and then he burst into a sprint toward the castle.

It didn't take him long to traverse the town and reach the castle gates. Another pair of Toads were on guard, both looking exhausted and surprised to see him approaching.

"The password, Mario," said one Toad as officially as he could manage, stifling a yawn.

"There's no time!" Mario said exasperatedly. All of them knew how silly the password system was, but Peach had enacted it for a specific reason. "Please let me in!"

"You know we can't," the other replied. "Do you need a reminder?"

Mario sighed in frustration. "Princess Peach rules over this land. Protect her, and she will protect you. Guard her, and she will guide you."

The Toads nodded to each other. One pulled a lever, and the gates slowly opened. Mario pushed against them until he could squeeze through and sprinted through the garden and across the stone bridge. He threw the front door open and up the several flights of stairs and many doors that eventually led to Peach's bedroom.

The moment he opened the last door, he was met with a scream of joy. Several bodies dove into him and sent him to the ground. He heard crying and felt something dripping onto his cheek. He couldn't see what it was, but from the mess of blonde hair obscuring his eyes and the sobbing right next to him he knew Peach was crying from joy.

"We're so glad you're back, brother," came a familiar voice from his side.

"Now you've got to tell us where you were all this time," came another from a bit farther away.

Then from the bedroom, a third voice – this one more annoyed than happy – chimed in: "And why we're all crammed into this fancy bedroom!"

"You still haven't told them?" Mario asked.

"I didn't want to worry them," Peach whispered in reply, her voice muffled from digging her face in Mario's neck. "Not for no reason."

Mario wanted to enjoy the embrace of his wife, his brother, and his best friend forever, but they didn't have the time. He gave Peach a soft but noticeable push, and she looked at him.

"We have a reason," Mario replied. "The attack's coming."

"No…" Peach whispered, all of her fears confirmed. "When? Where? With what?"

Mario gave her another soft push, and she quickly moved off of him and helped him to his feet. Luigi placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and to his right Yoshi smiled at him. Inside the room, several friends had been gathered. Daisy and Birdo were perched on the edge of the pink bed, Wario was standing next to the window glaring, and Toadette and her boyfriend were sitting on a large couch in the middle of the room.

Those were people he had expected. He was surprised to find a Hammer Bros, a Blooper, and a Dry Bones in a corner staring at him. He opened his mouth to request an explanation, but Peach seemed to read his mind and provided a quick one.

"They're representatives we requested. They were the only ones who could arrive on such short notice."

"We haven't fought with Bowser since he disappeared," Dry Bones added, giving an attempt at a reassuring smile but looked much more sinister than he intended. "We aren't enemies."

"I'm glad you agree," Mario replied. "In a short while, we'll need all the allies we can find. Where is Toadsworth?"

"He's in the bell tower," Peach answered. "Does he need to ring?"

Mario nodded gravely. "We need everyone prepared to evacuate."

"Evacuate?" Daisy replied. "Why are we evacuating?"

"Is that why we've been here all day?" Toadette asked. "Are we in danger?"

"Tell us what's going on!" Wario demanded. "I don't like being kept in the dark!"

"We have no time," said Mario. "Just trust us!"

Wario scoffed. "Mario, you've made plenty of terrible decisions in the past few years. My trust for you has been fading for a long time."

"Then go!" Mario shouted in frustration. "Go and die!"

The room was deathly silent after that outburst. Mario saw the looks of fear on so many of his friends' faces and took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"I'm sorry."

"Whatever."

"What did you go through on the other side?" Peach whispered with concern. "Please, you have to tell us everything."

"Send the word to Toadsworth," Mario said. "Then I'll tell you. We need as many Toads gathered as we can."

"Should I go get my family?" Toadette's boyfriend asked. "My mom's a deep sleeper; I don't think even the bell will wake her."

"I'll go with Toad," Toadette added. "We'll be back as soon as we can!"

"You know the password?" Peach asked. When the pair nodded, she nodded back. "Then be quick."

The pair left, a serving Toad was sent to give the message to Toadsworth, and soon the ringing of the bell on the castle roof sent its message across the town. Everyone gathered at the windows to watch the crowd of Toads gather in the main square.

"Give us the story, Mario," Wario demanded. "Why is all of this necessary?"

Mario gave a glance at Peach, wondering how much of the truth to tell them. Should he tell them what happened two years ago when all of this began, or 9 months ago when their worst fears came true? He decided he didn't have the time; he'd tell them just enough to placate them.

* * *

Twelve hours prior, Mario had sneaked into the alleyway while the posted guards were on an unscheduled lunch break. He pulled away a hidden section of wall that held neatly-folded confiscated camouflage gear resting. He took another look around to make sure he was completely alone and changed into these clothes. He replaced the empty space with his clothes and carefully sealed the hollow wall. He checked his pockets for supplies and found a pistol in one pocket and a combat knife stashed in the boot. He took a moment to compose himself, and then he entered the tunnel.

The moment he crossed the entrance, his vision was filled with blue, and any sense of apprehension and fear he had instantly dissipated. He strode forward with a reassured purpose. He had nothing to fear on the other side; he'd be completely okay.

The trip through the tunnel was short, and soon he could hear the sounds of wheels crunching on dirt. He could see the gorgeous hillsides of the world on the other side. The incredibly bright rays of light shined through the exit, forcing Mario to cover his eyes before they could get accustomed to the intensity.

He paused momentarily before truly crossing over. He could see clearly for miles in all directions the tunnel showed, and he made sure that nobody was within sight. The flatbed truck that was the source of the crunching dirt was driving in the distance, and only when that disappeared did he cross over into the other world.

"Hey, who are you?" Came a voice to his right.

He turned in surprise to see a large man staring at him in confusion. The man turned the rifle in his hands toward Mario, and he had little choice but to attack. He dove at the man, aiming for the rifle and knocking it away from his fingers. The two fell to the ground, punching and kicking each other. Mario landed on top, and he was easily able to overcome the surprised guard and knock him unconscious.

Breathing deeply, Mario stared at the man on the ground. He hadn't expected there to be a guard posted. It should've been obvious. He regretted having to attack the man, but the mission counted on his identity remaining a secret. He was just glad that he didn't have to fire his gun; that he hadn't even thought about using it.

He pulled the man into nearby bushes. He took the soldier's weapons and ammunition, tossing the extra pistol and knife away. He would have bound and gagged him, but he didn't have the material. All he could do was hope the man would stay unconscious until he was safely away.

Once all of this was done, Mario started walking toward the single noticeable structure in the distance: a skyscraper. The world was wide and open, made almost entirely of pleasant green hills and small pockets of forest. There were few manmade structures that penetrated the natural landscape. And this one being so tall made it easy to set as a goal.

Not too far from the tunnel was a sign posted that read: "Mushroom Kingdom Realm." Mario was tempted to knock the sign down in case anyone saw but decided against it. Anyone who saw him near the sign would know where he was from, and attempting to vandalize it would only lead to a greater chance of being seen.

He walked for nearly an hour and was nowhere near close to arriving at the tower. He climbed multiple hills and saw the numerous camps that surrounded it. It seemed like the ground underneath it was constantly moving and shaking, but that was just an illusion; in reality, the ground was completely still and the multiple thousands of people moving were causing it.

He was in the process of climbing a hill when he heard faint rumbling to his right. It was another truck driving toward him. He debated running, but it was a vehicle and it would catch him. Instead, he waved his arms and faked a smile of joy and appreciation for being found. The truck slowed to a stop beside him, and the driver smiled at him out the window.

"You lose your platoon, mate?" He shouted.

Mario looked at the truck's back. There were a dozen soldiers sitting on the edge staring at him. All of them were large men wearing full gear, including masks.

"Yeah," Mario replied, trying his best to hide his accent. "Would you mind giving me a lift?"

The driver shrugged. "Not a problem. Where are you heading?"

"Bravo, right?" A soldier from the truck's back asked. "I think I recognize you! I got lost too!"

The thought of getting recognized made Mario's heart freeze. But it was an escape from the question he couldn't answer, so he had to take it.

"Yeah, thanks! Nice to see you again!" Mario replied more to the soldier in the back than the driver.

The driver pointed to the back of his truck, and Mario climbed on. He was forced to sit next to the soldier who called him out, but otherwise he had enough room to be comfortable. The truck made its way to the tower. All along the way, the soldier who had saved him stared at him. Mario tried to avoid eye contact, staring at the scenery as it passed, hoping that the soldier was just mistaking him for someone else.

The truck eventually merged onto a dirt road just a few miles from the tower. It was here where the settlements that surrounded the tower were distinguishable. The farthest were small, consisting of a few dozen dark green tents and a single wooden condo, and surrounded by metal gates. A few were filled with soldiers exercising or lounging around, but the vast majority in sight were completely empty.

As the tower drew nearer, the settlements increased rapidly in size, soon holding hundreds of large tents and thousands of soldiers. They were closer to each other, although they were always separated and gated. More trucks joined theirs on the road, creating a line of traffic that slowed them down immensely.

There wasn't a single woman that Mario could see. All of the soldiers were young, large, fit men. Some of the more decorated soldiers were a bit older with noticeably gray hair, but even they were keeping up with their subordinates.

Their truck broke off from the line and drove into the camp designated "Bravo", and this one was much fancier than any they had seen before. It had a cement road leading to it, its walls stood ten feet high and were made of cement, and it had several large cement buildings near the front gate. There wasn't a single tent in this camp; all of the housing for the soldiers were the size of the condos in the smaller camps. Several hundred soldiers were standing around and socializing, staring at the truck as it drove in.

Mario stepped carefully off the truck, keeping his head down. He realized that he had no idea where to go. His goal was to get intelligence about any future plans, but he couldn't just steal evidence and run; the world was far too large. He could steal a truck, but that was dangerous.

Before he could plan, he felt a sharp tapping on his shoulder. Turning, he found that the soldier from earlier was standing right behind him.

"You owe me a thanks," the soldier mentioned. "I saved you."

"Thank you," Mario replied halfheartedly. "I need to find my… squad."

"Platoon," the soldier corrected. Mario's eyes widened as he attempted to backpedal, but then the soldier removed his mask.

"You're…" Mario gasped.

"Willicent," The man who was actually Waluigi smirked. He motioned for Mario to follow him. Mario was too stunned to do anything but oblige. He led Mario into a nearby building and into a small room in the corner. He locked the door and smiled. "It's good to see you again."

"You're alive?" Mario blinked. "How are you… it's been so long since we last…"

"Forty days," Waluigi answered dismissively. "But who's counting? I'm sure you can figure out why I haven't reported anything. I couldn't get away after I was drafted."

"What've you been doing all this time? What did you learn?" Waluigi had been sent on the same mission that Mario was currently on. He was supposed to have come back after a day of scouting, but he never returned. "We thought you were dead… Wario was distraught."

Waluigi grimaced. "I'll feel bad for Wario later. Mario, you couldn't have come at a better time. They're attacking tomorrow."

"What?"

"You noticed that many of the camps were empty. I learned that most soldiers are being brought into the few camps surrounding the Commander's tower."

"The Commander?" Mario repeated with a hint of bitter amusement. "Is that what he's calling himself?"

"That's the only name I've ever heard," Waluigi admitted with a little shrug. "Every soldier's getting told their mission. That's why I'm here. I was alone trying to get back to the Mushroom Kingdom when that truck came up to me. The driver asked if I wanted to be amongst the first to enter the Mushroom Kingdom tomorrow, and I was forced to agree."

"They truly are attacking us tomorrow," Mario said to the wall. He sat down from the weight of those words, his weight causing the frail bed to creak underneath him. "This is horrible news."

"I've learned a lot in this past month," Waluigi added. "The news just gets worse." He sighed with a soft "waa."

"You said you were trying to escape."

"I wanted to surprise you all," Waluigi grimaced. "The attack was getting close, and I was running out of time. I finally managed to escape, but that stupid truck found me instead… I was so close, Mario!"

"Mark," Mario corrected.

"Do your dog tags match? If you use that name…"

Mario lifted the tags from around his neck. They read "Mark Smith."

"They look fake," Waluigi muttered. "Don't show anyone too closely."

"We didn't have the material in the Mushroom Kingdom," Mario admitted. "We did the best we could."

"Do you not have material for a good disguise, either?" Waluigi asked. "You're walking around without a mask!"

Mario raised an eye in confusion. "Do I need a mask? Do they know who I am?"

"Every day they show our enemies," Waluigi explained. "They gave all of us Wanted posters of them. All sixteen of them. I don't remember many of the others, but I know you and Diddy Kong were two of them."

"Sixteen?" Mario repeated. "Oh no… they have that too…"

Waluigi decided to brush off that comment. He reached into his backpack and pulled out an extra mask. "You don't even have a backpack."

Mario placed it over his head. He could barely see now, and his mouth felt itchy where his mustache was pressed into his skin. It was uncomfortable and very warm underneath.

"I'll find one for you later. For now, I'll look around camp and try to find the meeting place for our missi-"

A sudden knock at the door shocked both of them to their feet. Waluigi gave Mario a short look, and then he opened the door. A young looking man stood at the door, smiling brightly.

"You found the house, then!" The man entered without waiting for an invitation. "Excellent! Then we don't have to wait!"

"We might have the wrong house," said Waluigi quickly. "We were just talking."

The young man looked at him in confusion. "Awfully specific place to have a conversation, the house where we were planning the Mushroom Kingdom attack, the only empty house in Bravo."

"We wanted the privacy."

The young man sighed and asked, "You are here for the attack, right?"

"We are," Waluigi nodded. "Why aren't we using one of the official planning rooms?"

"We wanted the privacy," The young man replied with a sly wink. "The name's Richard. The others are out in the main room if you guys want to quit your private time."

"Quit shagging!" A voice called from the middle room.

Mario blushed slightly, but Waluigi showed no such emotion. He nodded and told Richard to give them another minute. Once Richard left the room, Waluigi sighed.

"Of all the places… Mario, from now until we enter the Mushroom Kingdom, don't say a word unless asked. You shouldn't be here, and it's my fault you're here."

"Waluigi, don't-"

"I'll protect you until we're both safe," he turned and smiled. "It's Willicent."

The two entered the living room, where four men stood waiting. Richard had pulled a chalk board from a closet and was engrossed in drawing a diagram of the tunnel and surrounding land. Two large men sat on chairs across from each other and were laughing at each other. They could've been twins, they were so alike in appearance and stature. They even laughed the same. The final man was standing in a corner staring at them as they entered the room. He was easily a head taller than any of the others, having to slightly duck his head in order to stand in the short room. His black Mohawk brushed the ceiling as he turned his head, sending dust falling onto his shoulders.

"Oh shit, it's Willicent!" One of the men nudged the other's shoulder and pointed. "It's the guy who nearly blew his squad up with a grenade!"

"Him? Why the hell is he in this op?" The other groaned. "Look at that pointed nose. Such a creep."

"Don't go insulting people before the mission's begun," Richard said sternly. "We're all part of the same army, here."

"You're one to talk, Lenny," The first man snickered. "Was it the turkeys you slept with or the chickens?"

"Shove it, James."

"Who's the new blood," the man in the corner asked gruffly. "Why's he wearing a mask?"

"Mark," Mario answered, giving a nod and avoiding eye contact.

"So why the hell did you volunteer?" Lenny asked, his nasally voice completely mismatching his strong body.

"He wants to be the first to step foot in enemy territory," James answered. He winked and grinned. "He'll have to beat me to it. I'll get the first kill, too."

"No," said the man in the corner. "You won't."

"Sorry, Buck, but I'll run ahead if I have to."

"Enough," said Richard. He threw his chalk at James, and it smacked him in the forehead. "For once, James, take this seriously. We're the first damn attack. We'll set the stage for this war."

"Don't make this sound more important than it actually is," Lenny taunted. "There are dozens of scouting groups just like us going out."

"We're the first to set out," said Richard.

"How can you be so sure?" Lenny asked.

Richard smirked. "The others are going out tomorrow morning. We're leaving tonight."

That got the group excited. They sat up to attention in response.

"Richard, how'd you pull that off?" James asked.

"I know a guy," he replied dismissively. "Now pay attention, so we don't screw this up." He reached into a small carrying case resting by the foot of a chair and pulled out a folder. He scattered the contents of the folder on the table.

There were a few pages describing the surrounding area of the Mushroom Kingdom accompanied by pictures taken by a camera. Then there were a few pictures of some Toads walking around the town, pictures of Peach's castle, and finally, most surprisingly, pictures of Peach and Mario. Mario stared at the picture of himself enjoying a walk with Peach, them hand-in-hand. He was staring almost straight at the camera, yet he didn't remember ever seeing anything suspicious. He never saw the person taking his picture.

The moment the pictures came on the table, Waluigi snatched the picture of Mario and Peach. "Who're these people?"

"They're our targets," Richard replied. "They're important. We're to scout out the area, make sure that an attack is safe and secure, and then go into that large castle and capture them."

James leaned over and snatched the picture from him. He whistled. "That girl is hot! Why the hell does Mario get that, and we're stuck here with no women?"

"Because this world is cruel," said Richard. "Suck it up. You can rough them up, but they come back with us alive."

Lenny took the picture, giving Peach a good long look. "The world sure is cruel if that can get with that. He must have the biggest dick in that whole world."

"You've heard of the Mushroom Kingdom, though, right?" James asked. "There are like three humans. She doesn't have much choice."

"Of course, I'm not retarded." He turned to Buck, waving the photo. "Buck, you wanna look at this?"

Buck gave him a disgusted look and said absolutely nothing.

Richard explained the plan while the photo was passed around another few times. Once the plan was discussed and finalized, it was enacted. They went to the armory to resupply, all the while Waluigi was giving Mario a quick and quiet run-through of how each weapon fired and what each small piece of equipment did. They had a final meal in the giant mess hall, their food consisting of boiled, unsalted vegetables, a small cut of overcooked meat, and some bread. Finally, they waited in their planning house until the truck was ready.

While they were all waiting, the pair snuck off into the corner room and shut the door. Waluigi told Mario everything he learned in his month spying on the army, from the amount of soldiers to the weapons to the battle strategies to the chain of command. Everything he said, he wrote down, and he handed Mario that very important piece of paper to hide.

"If I don't make it," He explained.

"Why wouldn't you make it?"

"Because," Waluigi said sadly. "We're going to have to kill them."

The very thought made Mario shake, and it was even worse that he said such a thing so casually. "What…"

"I know you aren't prepared."

"Of course-" Mario began to shout, but he quickly quieted down when he remembered who was in the other room. "Of course I'm not prepared! You're talking about taking someone's life!"

"I don't want to do it either," Waluigi admitted. "But if we don't kill them in the tunnel, and if they make it to the Mushroom Kingdom, then they could kill dozens if not hundreds of innocent Toads. We can't let that happen, and the only way we can get away with it is if we take them by surprise and eliminate them."

"I can't do it," Mario said quickly. "I can't do that, Waluigi."

Waluigi nodded as if Mario confirmed his suspicions. "I know, Mario. I'll handle it. We'll move ahead of them when we can. I'll gun them down, and we'll run as fast as we can. I'll throw a grenade to block their entrance. It's the best plan."

"I don't want you killing anyone either," Mario whispered.

"Mario, you understand what's going to happen in the next few days? You heard everything I told you? You know the strength of the enemy? We won't have a choice soon."

There was a knock on the door, and then Richard's voice called them. "Truck's here. Get off the bed and move, or we're leaving you behind!"

Waluigi gave Mario a grim smile. "It's time. We'll talk on the other side."

So the six men jumped on the back of a truck and drove the long stretch of distance from Bravo camp to the Mushroom Kingdom tunnel. As they stopped by the entrance and exited the truck, Richard scoffed.

"The guards are off duty again," he shook his head. "Just as well. We don't need them telling the others."

James looked at the night sky and smiled. "It's a beautiful day for a war."

"You nervous?" Lenny teased.

James shook his head. "I couldn't be more ready."

"Okay, men, gather around," Richard called. The five men stared at him as he gave a reassuring smile. "We're making history here today. We'll be the first men officially in enemy territory. We may not come back. Keep your guard up, and if we're all lucky, we'll all come back with kills on our gun and stories to tell. I'll pick up the tab for anyone who survives this war."

"You'll owe the bar for the rest of your life," said Lenny. "I'd drink it out of business."

"Let's go," Richard readied his assault rifle and entered the tunnel. Mario and Waluigi exchanged a somber look and followed after him.


	3. Chapter 2

Mario finished his story by fishing a piece of paper out of his sock. He unfolded it and presented it to the princess, who took it with trembling hands.

"Those poor Toads," Daisy whispered.

"You didn't have a choice," Luigi said reassuringly, patting his brother's shoulder. "It was… there wasn't anything…"

"I know," Mario whispered. "I didn't want them to lose their lives, but I didn't want them to suffer at the hands of the soldiers."

"You couldn't have saved them," said Yoshi.

"Waluigi is… alive?" Wario asked in disbelief. "He's been alive all this time?"

"We're sorry for misleading you, Wario," said Peach quickly, sensing Wario getting upset. "We couldn't let anyone know."

"We didn't know he was alive," Mario added.

"You didn't tell me that he sacrificed his life for you!" Wario shouted. "What secret could be so important that you'd keep something like that from me!"

"He's alive! That's all that should matter!" said Mario.

"He's alive trapped with those soldiers who were planning on attacking us!" Wario shouted accusingly. "For all we know, your bomb could've killed him!"

"Don't say that," Peach said sadly. "We have to trust that he's okay. He survived for so long amongst the enemy; he will survive this."

"Will we ever see him again?" Wario asked. "Are we going to help him?"

"No," Mario said quickly and sternly. "I can't emphasize enough how large and powerful the enemy is. I've seen so much of it myself. We can't help him now. The only thing we can do is run."

There was a pause as everyone absorbed this new information. They had taken Mario's claims of needing to evacuate as hyperbole, but hearing about the things he had seen on the other side made them seriously consider his claims. They didn't want to run from their homes, but they respected Mario and Peach so much that they couldn't ignore their opinions.

"I'm with you, brother," Luigi said as bravely as he could muster. "Wherever you go, I'm following."

That was the tipping point of their decision; one-by-one the others consented to evacuating. Finally, Wario gave a half-hearted nod, and Mario breathed a sigh of relief.

"The villagers have already started toward the Southern tunnel," said Peach, looking out the window. The audience that had gathered at the town square had started to slowly move. She gave a small wave in case anyone was looking at her for guidance. "We should follow them."

"You go with them," said Mario. "All I wanted was for all of you to agree to leave. You should all follow the toads; Captain Toad is leading them."

"They're following that spas?" Wario snorted. "I'm following you and you alone. I'm not moving for anyone else."

"Where could you possibly be going?" Dry Bones asked.

Before Mario could open his mouth, Peach let out a scream. The others turned to see her with her hands covering her mouth in shock. Their momentary confusion was answered by the sound of a distant explosion. They all rushed to the windows and saw a thin column of grey smoke rising from the southern edge of town.

"They're here," Mario whispered. "They broke through the tunnel!"

"But I thought you blew it up," said Hammer Bro. "How could they get through?"

"Those tunnels are invulnerable," Mario shook his head. "The rubble wouldn't block them for long; they had the tools. They're here. The soldiers are here!"

The group at the castle could do nothing but watch as the crowd of Toads walked south toward danger. Mario wanted to shout at the crowd to move away, to circle around the tunnel, but they were too far away for his voice to carry. Despite the clear signs of danger, they continued forward.

"Is there anything we could use to talk to them?" Luigi asked in a panic. "They need to get away, right?"

"Yoshi, how fast could you get to them?" Mario asked.

"Pretty fast. What should I tell them?"

"Tell them to circle around town and avoid the smoke."

Yoshi nodded once, and then he leapt out of the window, fluttered for a bit to slow his descent, and landed on the ground. He sprinted across the garden and jumped over the gates. The Toad guards shouted at him, but he ignored them. He reached the town square before the gunfire began.

The soldiers had entered the Mushroom Kingdom, and they had taken position just outside the tunnel. They opened fire on the crowd of defenseless citizens, killing several before the crowd was able to react. When they realized there was a wall of death in front of them, they screeched and scattered in a desperate panic.

Yoshi froze in horror as he saw the chaos. A stray bullet ricocheted off the statue beside him. He flinched from the sound, and when he looked at the hole he saw that it had broken completely through the stone. He knew right then and there that Mario's warnings of the power of the enemies' weapons weren't exaggeration; they had the power to kill everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom.

He didn't even hesitate. He ran straight at the crowd of Toads. He needed to save as many as possible. He picked Toadette out of the crowd; she was holding onto her boyfriend's hand and looking around in confusion, shouting something with fear on her face. Yoshi pushed his way to the crowd and grabbed the pair of Toads.

"Yoshi!" Toadette screamed, half in relief and half in panic. "I'm scared! What's going on?"

"Where's my family?" Her boyfriend shouted. "We lost them!"

"We need to get out of here!" Yoshi shouted.

He lifted them onto his back and turned to escape. Another wave of bullets was fired into the panicked swarm, and Toads to their right were hit. He felt something sticky and wet splash over his legs, but he ignored it in fear of what he'd see. He managed to climb out of the major clump and ran back to the castle.

"But wait!" Toadette shouted. "We can't just leave them!"

"We can't abandon my family!"

He ignored them. He shouted at the guards to open the gate. They did so without hesitation, their expressions the same horror that Yoshi knew his own face betrayed.

"What should we do?" One Toad guard asked.

"Keep them open for any Toads who follow me," Yoshi commanded. "If anything but a Toad tries to enter, lock the gate and run inside the castle."

The Toads nodded, and Yoshi ran into the castle. Nobody had moved from the windows by the time he reached Peach's room. They rushed over to the Toads to comfort them, and Birdo gave Yoshi a close hug.

"It was horrible," Yoshi whispered. "I don't know what was happening, but so many Toads were falling to the ground…"

"You have something on your legs," noted Dry Bones.

Yoshi lifted his leg up and saw that his entire boot was covered in blood. His heart stopped. He looked behind him and saw that he'd carried bloodied footprints the entire time. He had no idea there was so much. He opened his mouth to scream, but Birdo immediately dug into his chest and whispered that everything was okay.

"We need to escape now," Mario declared.

"What about the Toads?" Daisy asked, pointing out the window. "We can't just leave them!"

"We can't save them," said Mario. He couldn't look her in the eyes. He hated the words he was saying. He wanted to do whatever he could for them despite the risk of death, but he had more important things to do. He had to survive.

"You're really saying that?" Toadette asked. "There are so many of them out there!"

"We can't stay," Mario reiterated. "We have to escape. We can't go south, so we have to go east."

"We're not leaving," said Birdo as if it was a ridiculous situation. "We're staying and defending our home."

"No," Yoshi grabbed Birdo's head and shook his own. "We can't fight against that."

"Where could we possibly go?" asked Wario. "You said they have ships? They have cars? How could we run on foot?"

"Where we'll go, their ships and cars won't find us," said Mario. "Please, trust that I know what I'm doing. We have to leave now."

Toadsworth ran into the room in a panic. "Princess!" He shouted. "Thank heavens you're alright! I saw the Toads. I saw Yoshi running toward them." He turned toward the dinosaur. "Yoshi! You're bleeding!"

Yoshi shook his head. "It's not… mine…"

"Good heavens…" Toadsworth gasped. "All of that on your feet… was that from the townsfolk?"

Yoshi slowly nodded, and Toadsworth looked close to fainting. "How could this happen?" He asked. "Has the enemy come so soon?"

"They have," answered Peach. "Please, Toadsworth. We are going to leave as soon as we can. You must come with us."

Toadsworth considered her for a moment, then he gave her a sad smile. "Princess, you know my stance on the matter."

"Toadsworth," Peach's eyes began to water. "Please…"

"You're not coming?" asked Luigi.

"The enemy will rush to the castle," Toadsworth said quickly. "You must leave before that happens. Use the secret passage."

"Yes, of course Toadsworth," Peach nodded. "But you will join us. As my royal servant, you must… obey…"

Toadsworth walked up to Peach and gave her a tight hug. "Unfortunately, Princess, this will the one and only order I cannot obey. I have spent my life in your family's court. I have lived in this castle, and I will be proud to fall in this castle."

There was another explosion somewhere in the town. Those in Peach's room couldn't help but automatically turn toward the sound. It had torn down a pair of houses. The entire town was in chaos; houses were on fire or half-destroyed, bodies were scattered throughout, injured citizens huddled together for slight protection.

The soldiers had started to take form. They were too far away during the initial barrage, but now that the crowd had been dispersed or killed the humans that stood several feet taller were clearly visible. They moved in formation covering the entirety of the main street. Whenever they reached an alley or a branching street, a small group moved down that with weapons aimed high. They were moving throughout the town, taking down any citizens they saw.

"They're terrifying," Peach whispered. "Please, Toadsworth, you can't stay here!"

"There's nothing that you could say to convince me to go, princess," Toadsworth said quietly. "Please leave so that I may defend my home with what little strength I can muster."

That seemed to be that; they couldn't convince the old Toad to change his mind. One by one, they said their goodbyes. Toadsworth promised to send as many citizens as possible after them. He would keep the passage open until the last possible second.

"What passage-" Wario began, before he was interrupted by Mario pressing a lever next to an unlit fireplace. The inside of the fireplace slid downward, revealing the aforementioned passage.

"I'll never forget you," Peach whispered as she gave her great friend one last hug.

"As will I, princess. You were the light that got us all through our darkest time. I know you will continue in the future." He stepped back to the door. "Now go, all of you."

Mario ushered most everyone through the passage. Each one gave Toadsworth one last lingering look before disappearing into the darkness. This continued until only one other person remained in the room.

"Hammer Bro?" Mario said, taking a glance out the window. He could barely see anything from the angle, but he didn't believe that there was much time before the enemy had reached the castle. "What are you doing?"

Hammer Bro had barely moved. He was standing in the corner rubbing the flat end of his hammer in thought. He looked up as Mario repeated his name.

"What am I to you?" He asked. Mario blinked, taken aback by the question. "To you, I'm a simple Hammer Bro. One of a thousand. Why are you helping me escape?"

"Because otherwise the Hammer Bro species will be extinct," Mario answered. "Those soldiers won't stop until they hunt down everyone!"

"And what makes you sure they'll get the chance?"

"Because they're far more powerful than you could ever imagine."

"Please, Mister Hammer Bro, you don't understand what you're saying," Toadsworth said. "Follow Mario to safety. You have no reason to stay."

Hammer Bro stepped forward, smirking. "Sorry, Toadsworth, but I do. I'm the leader of the Hammer Bros; I represent the entire species. If I abandon my home at the first sign of trouble, then what does that say about us all?"

"You listen to reason," Toadsworth replied.

"Call me hard-headed, then," Hammer Bro replied. He turned to Mario and shrugged. "Don't wait for me. I'm staying and defending this castle. I'll be waiting when you return."

Mario opened his mouth to argue, but he decided against it when a stray bullet hit a vase above his head and shattered it. He ducked slightly, nodded, and ran into the passage. Hammer Bro and Toadsworth flinched in response to the shattered vase, and momentarily the pair realized that they had made a terrible decision.

"Very well," Toadsworth muttered, recovering quickly. "If you insist on staying, you will fight. The castle soldiers are gathering in the main hall as we speak. Let's quickly join them!"

The pair kept their heads low as they ran through the halls and down the stairs to the main foyer. Two dozen Toad guards were equipped with large helmets and spears, and all of them were staring at the open doors with fear. They could see the army slowly approaching the castle, just outside the gates. The two guard Toads had already run into the castle, although they were nowhere to be seen amongst the remaining Toads.

"Toads!" Toadsworth shouted, and all attention was solely on him. He raised his fist in the air. "The princess is counting on us to defend this castle! This is our own purpose! Are we all ready!"

"We're ready!" The Toads shouted in unison, raising their fists.

"Blockade the doors," Toadsworth commanded. "Find anything you can, big or small." As the Toads began to close the giant front doors, Toadsworth turned to Hammer Bro and handed him a key ring. "Go down into the dungeons. Release the prisoners. Give them a chance to escape."

"Prisoners?" Hammer Bro repeated, taking the keys. "Who cares about them at a time like this? They won't help us."

"Explain the situation to them, quickly. Let them know-" Toadsworth suddenly stopped, recoiling in pain. Hammer Bro stared at him in shock as he collapsed.

"Toadsworth!" A Toad from below shouted. The Toads managed to get the front door closed and started to pile furniture in front of it. A pair ran up the stairs to Toadsworth and Hammer Bro and lifted the fallen Toad to his feet.

Toadsworth had taken a bullet to the chest. It had gone completely through his body, and he was bleeding out of both holes. He coughed and sputtered, spitting a glob onto the ground. Hammer Bro tossed the keys aside, his sole focus on getting Toadsworth to safety.

"Where's the hospital here?" He asked the Toads. They pointed to a door nearby, and Hammer Bro lifted Toadsworth onto his shoulder and ran to the door.

"Put me down," Toadsworth said as he vainly attempted to push himself away.

Hammer Bro ignored him, opening the door and running to a clearly labeled medicine room. He set Toadsworth on a cot and moved to the closet, rifling through the supplies until he found a gauze. He turned around and saw that Toadsworth had fallen to the ground.

"Get on the bed you old man," Hammer Bro muttered in annoyance. "You're going to bleed to death! You know how bad your body already is without you trying to hurt it more?"

"Don't worry about me. I may be an old geezer, but I still have strength left in me." Toadsworth could barely whisper the words. His face was pale, and his clothes were darkened. He looked like he had no strength left.

Hammer Bro forced Toadsworth to lie down and wrapped the gauze around his waist. The blood soaked through the gauze immediately, and Hammer Bro swore to himself.

"Please, Hammer Bro, you must get to the front gate while you can. Help the Toads…"

"I'm not letting you out of my sight," Hammer Bro muttered, silently wondering why he was even bothering with helping this hardheaded old man with a death wish. He relented, however, and picked Toadsworth up again. "Fine. If you want to bleed to death, let's bleed with your men."

"Thank you," Toadsworth sighed in relief.

Hammer Bro kicked the door open and ran into the main hall. The Toads had stacked a large pile of furniture that completely covered the main doors. Many of the soldiers were standing in a semicircle around the door, while a couple were glancing out of the windows.

"They're almost here!" One of said Toads shouted. The remaining Toads readied their spears.

"Toadsworth!" A Toad from below gasped. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, fine," Toadsworth whispered. Nobody could hear him, so Hammer Bro repeated his words.

"We need to get him to a doctor!" The same Toad said.

"I helped him as best as I could," Hammer Bro said. "But he refuses to go anywhere."

"That's just like him!" The Toad from the window said, smiling and getting to his feet. "I remember when-"

The window shattered and sent glass everywhere. The Toad was dead before he hit the ground; the back of his head was covered in holes. The others stepped back and stared at him in horror.

"Oh no!" A Toad cried. "They killed him!"

"Get away from the windows!" Hammer Bro commanded, and the Toads did so without hesitation. They kept as far away from the body as they could. Their resolve was wavering; their spears were shaking violently and they were searching for a quick escape.

"Stand your ground!" Toadsworth managed to shout. He motioned to be put down, and he leaned on the railing for support, looking down on his men. "We cannot run from this castle! We must wait for the princess to return!"

But the moment the Toads appeared to have calmed down, the soldiers had reached the front door. They rammed against it, only for it to barely move an inch. They rammed again and again, but the blockade was too great.

"We did it!" A Toad shouted. "They won't get through!"

A metal cylinder was thrown through the window. The Toads stared at it in confusion as it bounced once, twice, and then the entire room went bright white.

"I can't see!" Toads cried. "Where is everyone?"

"Ow! Who is that? Who ran into me?"

"Am I going to be blind forever?"

Hammer Bro hadn't been hit by the full effect of the flashbang, and his vision returned quickly. He saw the Toads running around in a blind panic, completely unaware of the second strange object that had just been thrown through the broken window. The Toads slowed to a stop, blinking in relief now that their vision was returning.

"I can see again!"

"Hooray!"

"They can't stop us!"

"They through something else!" Hammer Bro shouted. "Run away!"

The Toads reacted instantly, running in every direction. They scrambled against the walls, into nearby passageways, up the stairs. After a few seconds of nothing happening, one Toad searched the ground for whatever was thrown. He found it, and suddenly smiled, leaned down and picked it up.

"It was just a rock!" The Toad laughed in relief, holding it in the air. "Just a rock from the garden."

"Get back into position!" Hammer Bro shouted.

But the rock was the distraction the soldiers needed. In the confusion, they had brought over something heavy to deal with the door. They heaved it against it, sending furniture forward several inches. The Toads scrambled to push everything back against the door, with many abandoning their spears on the ground, but they didn't have the strength to combat the battering ram.

The second swing sent several pieces toppling to the ground. A vase crashed into a Toad, knocking him unconscious. The others pulled him away and gave the blockade one desperate push. Then they ran to their weapons and hoped that they had enough time.

The third swing broke the hinges and sent half of the door falling to the ground. The soldiers had broken through, and the first large bulking intimidating man climbed over the fallen door with his weapon in the air. The Toad nearest him thrust his spear forward, catching him under the neck. The soldier shouted in agony and collapsed to the ground, but the Toad lost his grip and wasn't able to pry his weapon loose.

"Get up here!" Hammer Bro commanded. "We need a better place to defend!"

The Toads crawled up the stairs as Hammer Bro carried Toadsworth inside the hallway that led to Peach's room. He hid behind the door to the foyer, ushering Toads as they ran one-by-one inside. He had to duck his head as the soldiers began to climb over the barricade and fire at the remaining Toads. They weren't able to see him, but he could do nothing but watch as they shot each and every Toad they could see, even the ones who had already fallen.

There were a few seconds without a Toad in sight, so Hammer Bro slowly closed the door. He locked it and pushed a nearby small chair below the doorknob, then he sprinted as fast as he could down the hallway. He closed each and every set of doors he passed, passing empty hallway and empty room. It took him minutes to reach Peach's room, but when he shut that set of doors he saw that there were only five other Toads.

"Where are the others?" One of the Toads asked.

Hammer Bro shook his head, setting Toadsworth down on a chair and trying to catch his breath.

"They're all gone? Oh no…"

"We have to leave," Hammer Bro whispered.

That got Toadsworth to chuckle, and that chuckle cost him a bit of blood. "I see you changed your mind."

"I have," Hammer Bro conceded. "I made a terrible decision in staying. Those people are terrifying, dangerous, and merciless. I should've gone when I got the chance. I only hope we can find Mario before he disappears."

"I will not go with you," Toadsworth sighed. "I will block the passage when you all leave. I only hope to take one down with me."

"We won't leave you, Toadsworth," a Toad dropped to his knee and caressed Toadsworth's hand. "You're a father to us all!"

"We'll defend this castle with our lives," another Toad agreed. "We can't let it fall!"

"This is suicide," Hammer Bro reminded them. "I know this castle is important, but you should run and fight another day!"

"There may not be another day," Toadsworth countered. "I know far more than you about the nature of the enemy. They very well may overwhelm us all, and we may never have another chance to fight for this Kingdom. I will not take that risk; I will fight while I still have the strength to do so. I do not expect you to understand."

"I understand completely," Hammer Bro replied. "I would sacrifice my life to protect my home." He sighed. He wasn't going to convince them, but he didn't want to abandon them to their deaths. "Please, just one of you come with me."

The Toads all shook their heads, their sole attention on Toadsworth. Toadsworth managed a weak smile.

"Thank you all. We will rise to the Overthere together. Hammer Bro, thank you for your help. You helped me get this far, but this is when we say goodbye."

Hammer Bro gave one last nod. "Good luck, you insane old man." He waved once, and then ducked into the passage.

"Close it," Toadsworth grunted. "Give me my cane."

One Toad pushed the lever, closing the seal on the secret passage, while the others scrambled to his cane set forgotten beside the bed. Toadsworth stared at the brown and white mushroom head and smiled, remembering all of the good times he'd had in the castle, all of the friends he had made and enemies he had fought, remembering Mario and Luigi and most of all Princess Peach.

"Remember, everyone, that we are fighting not for glory or for victory. We are fighting for our love of this Kingdom, this castle, and our princess." Toadsworth struggled to his feet. The sounds of footsteps were echoing down the hall. The soldiers were approaching.

"For Princess Peach!" Toadsworth shouted, and he and the Toads charged at the doors as they burst open.


	4. Chapter 3

Mario

Luigi

Peach

Daisy

Yoshi

Wario

Toad

Toadette

Birdo

Dry Bones

Blooper

Hammer Bro

* * *

He didn't stop to listen once the entrance was sealed shut. He didn't want to know what was happening outside. He shut out the thoughts of pain and death that were creeping in; he only wanted to move forward. It was pitch black in the tunnel, and he had no way of knowing whether he was going the right way.

The tunnel was built into the walls of the castle, so they twisted and bent and dropped and rose. Hammer Bro felt his way forward, stopping several times to make sure that he wasn't taking a step into an abyss. He hit his head multiple times and kicked his feet into stone several more, but his natural armor kept him from damage.

Despite the peril, he moved as quickly as he could. He wasted far too much time on a suicide mission, and he'd made his point perfectly clear to Mario. They weren't going to wait for him, so he had to chase after them.

After a while, the tunnel leveled out and went straight forward. He knew that this was the point in which he could run, so he sprinted. He tripped on a rock sticking out of the wall, gasped in pain, and fell to the ground. But he got up immediately. There was no time.

Finally, he could see the light. The tunnel stopped suddenly, and just above were the dim rays of dawn breaking through the darkness. He slowed to a stop, panting heavily, and looked up to find that the actual exit was still several feet out of his reach. There were a few holes dug into the dirt walls, so he stuck his hands into the nearest and began his slow ascent. It took several minutes of climbing, but eventually he was able to breathe fresh air.

He felt a presence behind him, and he turned slowly. He saw familiar feet, and then familiar pants, and then finally a familiar face. He breathed a sigh of relief and rested his chin on the dirt. Mario set the pistol on the ground and lifted Hammer Bro out of the hole.

"You made it," Mario said. "I heard a gasp… I wanted to make sure."

He wasn't apologizing for pointing the pistol at his head. Hammer Bro wasn't holding it against him; it could've been anyone climbing out of that hole. With it being so dark out, there wasn't any way to tell until the mysterious person had revealed himself.

"The castle's gone," Hammer Bro explained. "The Toads… fell defending it."

"Toadsworth as well?"

Hammer Bro gave a solemn nod, and Mario dropped his gaze to the ground. Hammer Bro looked around. A large boulder was just a few inches from the hole, and they were in a lightly forested but otherwise unremarkable area. The castle was barely visible in the distance.

"Where are we?"

Mario recovered enough to answer. "Several miles from the town. The others are at the tunnel. They're waiting for me."

"For us?" Hammer Bro corrected.

Mario put the pistol back in his pocket. "For us," he confirmed.

The pair didn't have to walk far to come across the tunnel. The group was waiting at its entrance staring at the town. They couldn't see much, and they could only faintly hear the sounds of war, but what they heard made them horrified.

"Those poor Toads…" Peach whispered. "I could do nothing… all of my planning…"

"My family," Toad clenched his fists and fought back tears. "They're all gone."

"We can't do anything for them," Wario growled. "We're running like cowards."

"We aren't cowards," said Luigi, his trembling voice betraying his attempted façade of courage. "We're getting help. We-"

"We left them to die," Wario spat. "We can't lie to ourselves. That's what happened. All of those Toads are at the mercy of the enemy."

"Oh thank goodness!" Peach gasped, seeing Mario and Hammer Bro approach. She ran to them and embraced them both. "You came back!"

"Toadsworth didn't make it," Mario whispered, and Peach recoiled. "I'm sorry."

"I did what I could," Hammer Bro muttered, knowing it wouldn't make it right. "He wanted to fall in the castle. He gave them something to remember…"

Peach wiped away tears and attempted a weak smile. "That was always like him… the silly old man…"

"Mario," Daisy stepped forward. "Where are we going? I don't want to leave the town like this."

"And don't be vague," Wario demanded. "We're following you blindly. We deserve some answers."

Mario glanced at Peach, but she was too preoccupied with her sorrow to pay attention. "Do you remember the last time we saw Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong?"

"It's been years," Yoshi said. "All of the others as well."

Mario nodded. "Over two years. Something happened two years ago, and we were all separated. Nobody… most of us weren't able to talk to anyone."

"You're still being vague," Wario muttered, but he was ignored.

"Are we going to see them again?" Luigi asked hopefully. "I missed them!"

"No," Mario shook his head, and Luigi's hopeful expression dropped immediately. "We're going to see some of the others, though. We're going to see Kirby again, and Metaknight and King Dedede, and anyone else who lives with them."

"Mario, I don't understand," said Birdo. "How are we going to see them?"

Mario pointed at the tunnel. "The tunnel the soldiers came through, the one I went through, leads to a different universe. This tunnel beside us leads to Kirby's universe. All of our universes are connected through these tunnels."

"You mean we could've seen the Kongs at any time?" Wario asked, glaring accusingly. "I thought they were gone forever!"

"No, you couldn't," Mario answered. "None of you could."

"Why not?" Dry Bones asked. "What was stopping us?"

"Their universe is… far away from us. Not all universes are connected to all universes."

"Why not?" Dry Bones continued.

"I… We didn't decide how our universes were combined. I would draw you all a map, but we don't have much time."

"They won't be finding us out here," said Dry Bones. "We have plenty of time."

"The army Commander we're running from knows the location of all of the tunnels," said Mario. "They'll search for us soon. They'll find the tunnel eventually."

"That seems extremely convenient," Dry Bones said warily.

"Stop harassing him," said Luigi quietly. "He's explained enough."

"Not for me," Dry Bones argued. "I see no reason to follow him."

"Then don't!" Yoshi glared. "I'm with Mario. We've spent too much time here, and I don't want to see those soldiers again."

"Thank you," Mario smiled graciously. "Please, you all have to trust me with the little information I can afford to give you. Once we're all safe, everything will be explained."

With little argument from the dissenters, the group headed to the other universe.

* * *

The beautiful, serene, sprawling green hillsides of Dreamland were sparkling in the morning sun. Very few of the planet's residents were awake at such an early hour, but two playful troublemakers were running through a pink flowerbed and enjoying the peace.

"This is amazing," Kirby giggled, hopping from flower to flower in order to find his companion. "Now where are you? I chose this because I was the one who could easily hide! It's not fair if you ca-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a waddle dee wearing a blue bandana over its head leapt out of the flowers and tackled Kirby to the ground. The two rolled around in the field until Kirby came out on top.

"Hah!" Kirby laughed victoriously. "I finally won!" He looked down, curious that he hadn't sparked a reaction, only to see that Bandana Dee was staring at something in front of them. Kirby looked up and saw a large group of strangers walking cautiously out of the large maw of a tunnel that overlooked the nearby town.

"Oh my goodness!" Kirby gasped. "It's them!" He jumped off Bandana Dee and helped pull him to his feet. "Come quickly! We have to say hi to them!"

Bandana Dee paused cautiously and ran over to a nearby tree. He grabbed a spear that was leaning against it and followed his companion. Kirby reached the group, shouting and waving his arms happily. He jumped into the arms of the man in front and embraced him, and Bandana Dee realized quickly that they were friends.

"And who's your friend?" Mario asked, nodding at Bandana Dee.

"This is Bandana Waddle Dee!" Kirby explained. "We just call him Bandana Dee because he doesn't like the word 'waddle'."

"Tell them my life story, please," Bandana Dee sighed. He lowered his spear, but despite Kirby's lowered guard and the friendly appearance of most of them, he stood a fair distance away. "Who are you all, and why are you here?"

"Actually, yeah, you being here isn't a good thing, is it?" Kirby wondered. "Metty always said that if you were here with a lot of people, you needed to get to the castle as soon as possible."

"Has he told you a lot?" Mario asked.

Kirby shook his head. "Just to play by this tunnel and never enter it," Kirby blushed. "I've went through it a lot, but I never went near the village, I promise! I just watched the lots of yous-" he pointed at Toad. "-wandering around."

"Kirby, focus, please," Mario said exasperated. "Take us to Metaknight."

Kirby silenced immediately upon hearing his tone. "Right, right. Let's go. Come on, Bandana Dee!"

They led them through the empty village, a small town of barely twelve makeshift houses of dirt and stone that were all lined up along a single dirt street. A small fountain lay in the center, a statue of King Dedede raising his hammer high in the air as water squirted out of the top. The village itself was surrounded by small flower bushes and tall trees.

Overlooking the village high above was King Dedede's Castle. Perched precariously on the edge of a cliff, the stone reminder of the king's superiority and supposed power watched over the village and its indifferent inhabitants.

* * *

In a large, high vaulted throne room of the castle, Metaknight and King Dedede sat alone across an extravagant metal table engraved in the king's image. King Dedede was pacing back and forth while Metaknight watched from the throne itself. Several pages were scattered along the table and various objects were resting in all corners of the room. Waddle Dees scurried around the room, some carrying food, some bringing in papers, some cleaning up the mess brought about by the king's rage.

They all stopped, stunned, when King Dedede slammed his fist on the metal table. The ringing shot out throughout the castle, and the servants slowly turned toward the source of the rage.

King Dedede slowly looked up. "What? Don't look at me. Keep working!" He shouted. He removed his fist and scoffed at the small dent his fist had made. "Look at that? Some metalwork I was given for my birthday. Can't even handle a single hit."

He looked at his companion. As usual, Metaknight was staring and making no comment. King Dedede sighed.

"At least laugh when I make fun of myself. I don't do it often."

"I don't laugh," Metaknight replied.

King Dedede grunted. "I noticed." He picked up a random piece of paper that happened to have the number of soldiers in his own army. There weren't enough. "Our scouts confirmed one very important piece of information: we have no chance of defending ourselves. Not against their firepower or their numbers. We're pathetic!"

He moved to one corner and picked up an assault rifle. He waved it carelessly in the air in his growing frustration and desperation. "This little piece of plastic can tear through a Gordo! They have millions of these weapons and even more powerful weapons!"

He walked over to a nearby cowering Waddle Dee and wrenched the spear out of its hand. The spear snapped in half in his grip, and he stared at the piece of wood with bitter amusement. "And we have sticks. Sticks and Waddle Dees. We could give one of those soldiers a splinter if they're blind and crippled. But against that whole army?"

"You know very well that that is precisely why we won't fight them," Metaknight said bluntly.

King Dedede immediately rounded on him. "I am the King!" He roared. "I should have the most powerful army in all of these universes! Instead, I have these pathetic creatures, and I'm a laughing stock!"

"King Laughing Stock!" Kirby rushed into the room, startling the king. "I'm here!"

"Kirby?" King Dedede stared, ignoring the joke that made Metaknight so amused. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you playing by the tunnel?"

"Because they're here!" Kirby explained. Metaknight immediately leapt from the throne and landed swiftly inches from his head.

"Who is here?" He asked.

"Mario-" Kirby began, but he couldn't get another name out before Metaknight flew down the hall. He blinked, glanced at King Dedede, and then the pair ran after him.

Metaknight reached the entrance hall, where all of the refugees from the Mushroom Kingdom were standing. Mario stepped forward, and the two shook hands.

"It has been too long," Metaknight said.

"I wish I could be here under better circumstances," Mario replied, giving a quick nod.

"It's happening," Metaknight declared. He barely waited for a nod of confirmation before turning to the fast approaching king. "We must evacuate."

"Oh no…" King Dedede hated seeing that look in his eyes. It meant that the worst possible scenario was upon them. "Bandana Dee, you're here too!"

Bandana Dee strutted forward with his spear held proudly in the air. "Yes, my liege!"

"Run to the village," King Dedede commanded. "Signal the evacuation! Tell them to head south to the designated spot!"

"Of course, my liege!" And Bandana Dee raced off toward the village. Kirby made a motion to follow, but King Dedede grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Why can't I go with him?" Kirby complained. "We could reach more houses quicker!"

"In case he can't make it in time," King Dedede answered ominously.

But Kirby wrenched his arm out and ran ahead anyway. King Dedede shouted after him, but Kirby ignored him and ran out of the castle.

"How far ahead are you?" King Dedede demanded from Mario.

"I don't know," Mario sputtered. "We couldn't see anyone following us. It could be hours, it could be minutes!"

"The passage was closed behind me," said Hammer Bro. "They can't find the tunnel from the castle."

Mario noticed the weapon that was in King Dedede's hands. "Where did you find that?" King Dedede lifted the rifle at Mario, and he flinched.

"We've been sending scouts for months to gather information," King Dedede explained. "Some of them ambushed a group of soldiers and brought back some of their weapons." He handed the weapon to Mario, who held it at arms-length. "That is far too powerful for us to fight."

Mario examined the assault rifle, trying to remember the quick tutorial Waluigi had given him the previous day. He managed to remove the magazine and checked the ammunition.

"Mario," Metaknight said carefully. "Do you know how to use that?"

Mario shook his head. "I've never fired one in my life," he glanced at his friends and family who were all staring at him curiously. "But I'm willing to if it means protecting the ones I love."

"What's the plan, Metaknight?" Yoshi came forward. "We're following Mario blindly, so we should know what's happening."

"We're leaving," answered Metaknight. "We will be evacuating the villagers to the next location and regrouping with the locals."

"Where's the next location?" Wario shoved his way forward. "Is it another universe?"

Metaknight glanced at Mario, and then replied: "Yes, another universe."

"Which one?"

"The Star Fox universe," Mario answered.

"Star Fox?" Yoshi repeated excitedly. "You mean Fox and Falco?"

"And Krystal," Mario added. "And anyone else ready to evacuate." He recalled something he wanted to speak with Metaknight about, and he moved him aside. He spoke in a low voice so as not to remind the others: "Our evacuation attempt failed. The soldiers came too soon for us to prepare. Everyone in Toad Town as far as we know was killed."

"Mario, we had months to evacuate them," Metaknight whispered.

"Peach didn't want to worry the villagers without good reason, and our scouts didn't return," Mario tried to explain. "You are in the same situation!"

"We have but twenty villagers to evacuate, not the population of an entire town," Metaknight argued. "Do not try to turn this against me; we must be on the same side here."

"Quit whispering!" Wario said loudly. "Talk with the rest of us! What makes you so special?"

"We know the whole situation," Metaknight countered.

"Wario, stop, please," Mario urged. He turned back to Metaknight. "Fine, you're right; we weren't prepared. I just thought you should know that the soldiers began the attack faster than we expected."

Metaknight nodded and moved over to King Dedede. "We need to hasten the evacuation. The soldiers could arrive soo-"

There was the sound of a low boom, and then the faint sounds of screaming. The group rushed to the windows that overlooked the village and saw smoke billowing out of the furthest houses. Villagers were running around in a panic, and a dozen men towered over the civilians.

"We're too late," King Dedede whispered. He ran into the throne room.

"Where's he going?" Wario demanded. "We need to get out of here!"

"We are not abandoning them!" Metaknight shouted. He pulled out his sword. "Let's go!"

He unfurled his wings, jumped into the air, and soared out of the open doors. King Dedede reappeared with his signature giant hammer in hand, and he followed Metaknight out of the door with determination in his eyes.

"Mario?" Peach began.

"I'm going after them," Mario said, readying the assault rifle. He placed a hand on Peach's shoulder. "Stay here. All of you."

Without another word, he ran out of the castle and down the sloping path. He heard footsteps behind him, turned and saw that most of his group was following him down the hill. He stopped and started to shout at them to turn around, but they ran past him without giving him so much as a glance. Luigi was the only one to stop.

"What are you doing?" Mario demanded. "These men will kill us all!"

"Not if we don't give him the chance, brother," Luigi said, smiling through his fear and patting his brother's shoulder. "Let's help these villagers!"

Without any way to stop them, Mario was forced to follow the people he was supposed to lead. He joined them at the bottom of the hill, where they had joined Metaknight, King Dedede, and a terrified Bandana Dee behind the closest house. Mario stopped between Blooper and Hammer Bro while Metaknight was in the midst of explaining his strategy.

"-and King Dedede and… Blooper?" Blooper gave an affirming bloop. "They will go behind the third house and surprise them. Mario! You will initiate. Fire that weapon into the air to startle them."

"Or fire it at them," King Dedede suggested.

Mario gulped. His confidence about being prepared to kill for his friends was quickly wavering in the face of actual danger. "I can do it," he said. "What's the signal?"

"When you see me behind them," Metaknight answered. "There are only twelve of them. Scouts. They aren't a threat."

"Tell that to the villagers they massacred," King Dedede growled, tightening his grip on his hammer.

"Get into position," Metaknight commanded. "Quickly." And in an instant, he had disappeared.

King Dedede, Blooper, and Yoshi ran off in one direction; Bandana Dee, Dry Bones, and Hammer Bro ran off in the opposite direction. Mario hesitated, and then he pulled his pistol out of his pocket and handed it gingerly to Luigi.

"I don't…" Luigi began, but he saw the look of unease in Mario's eyes and quieted. He understood. Neither of them were prepared or wanted to hold these weapons. They were forced to. They had no choice.

"It's ready," Mario said, pointing. "Pull that when you're aimed at them."

Luigi hesitated, then he gave a short nod, and the two of them moved close to the edge of the building. They could see only four soldiers still in the village, coming toward them. They looked at each other once more, and then they leaned out and fired.

The sounds of the guns firing were deafening, and the recoil was much more than either of them were prepared for. Their initial barrage hit two of the soldiers and dropped them to the ground, and before the other two could react Metaknight was upon them. He slid his sword smoothly through one throat, removed it, and then sliced the base of the other's skull. All four soldiers fell to the ground in a second, and there was a brief moment of pause.

Then the other soldiers barged out of some of the houses. Mario and Luigi scrambled back behind the house when they were spotted. The soldiers fired at where they were, completely decimating the ground and sending a cloud of dirt into the air. As they were distracted, they were surrounded.

King Dedede appeared suddenly behind one soldier, his hammer above his head, and slammed it down on the man's head. The man was crushed instantly, barely more than a splatter of bones and blood when the hammer was removed.

A second soldier was taken down by a well-thrown hammer from Hammer Bro. The hammer lodged itself in the soldier's head, and he fell to the ground. A third was killed by Bandana Dee stabbing him from behind. A fourth was knocked unconscious by an egg which shattered over his head.

The remaining soldiers, suddenly keenly aware of their situation, started firing into the bushes that surrounded the village. They backed up against the fountain, covering all angles.

"What're we gonna do?" One soldier shouted in a panic.

"Keep them away from us!" Another soldier shouted in response.

But something leapt out of the fountain. The soldiers stopped firing and turned in surprise. They aimed their weapons high, but that was their mistake. Before any of them could fire a bullet, King Dedede, Metaknight, Yoshi, and Bandana Dee had run out of the bushes and were upon the four of them. The soldiers were taken down, and Kirby floated to the ground.

"Oh you saved me!" Kirby cried. He jumped into King Dedede's arms, tears streaming down his face. He was breathing heavily in his panic. "I thought I was dead! It was horrible! It was so horrible!"

King Dedede patted Kirby softly. "It's okay, puffball," he said. "You're safe now. These men are gone."

Mario and Luigi came out from behind the building, stepping carefully over the fallen soldiers. They couldn't tell which were dead and which were merely unconscious. They could barely see straight from the adrenaline. Luigi shoved the pistol into Mario's arms as if it were on fire and ran over to Yoshi.

"I… I did it," Yoshi whispered as he embraced Luigi. "I… I felt good doing that…"

"Don't do that!" Mario shouted. Metaknight had gone over to one of the fallen soldiers and stabbed him in the head.

"They will awaken and tell the others what happened," Metaknight explained, moving to another soldier and doing the same. "I am preventing that from happening."

"Don't…" Mario repeated without any fight. He looked around. The others hadn't come out of the bushes. He suddenly panicked and ran to one side, seeing Hammer Bro resting against a house.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Hammer Bro nodded. "I'm glad I took some of them down," he said, smiling sadly. "Dry Bones didn't make it." He pointed to the ground, where Dry Bones had been dismantled into a pile.

Before Mario could grieve, the bones started to pull themselves back together, and soon Dry Bones had been reborn. He touched his cheek, running a boney finger along the scrape that a stray bullet had made.

"I've never been damaged like that before," Dry Bones muttered, looking up at Mario. "Guess I'm not that invincible after all."

"You should give the rest of us your regenerating powers," Hammer Bro joked. "We could use them."

"I don't like sharing," Dry Bones replied. "Did we win?"

Mario nodded. "We're all in the center. Except for Blooper."

Without waiting for a response, he ran around to the other side of the village. There, he found Blooper, on the ground in a pool of blood and black ink, perforated with bullet holes, dead.


	5. Chapter 4

Mario

Luigi

Peach

Daisy

Yoshi

Wario

Toad

Toadette

Birdo

Dry Bones

Hammer Bro

Kirby

Metaknight

King Dedede

Bandana Dee

* * *

They'd stopped the soldiers and saved Kirby and Bandana Dee, but staring at Blooper's fallen body Mario wondered if it was worth the cost. He kneeled down and carefully picked up his brief ally and carried him into the village square. The others stopped their small celebration as they saw Mario approach. The mood turned from victorious to somber.

Mario spoke no words. He didn't stop. He set Blooper in the fountain and watched as the fallen squid floated in the water. He stepped away from the fountain and moved to Metaknight, interrupting him giving commands to some of the group.

"We have to hurry," Mario said, looking at the nearby tunnel for any other soldiers. "These were scouts. The full army will be coming soon. The Commander wouldn't risk sending so few soldiers to take over your home."

"Twelve men did so much damage," Metaknight shook his head, glancing at a fallen villager that had been gunned down just outside his house. "He might as well not bother sending any others."

They watched as the others entered houses cautiously and exit them immediately. Not a single house was occupied; every single villager was dead. Metaknight responded to this news by stabbing the stone fountain with his sword, cracking it and sending a stream of water to the ground.

"We're leaving," Metaknight commanded, trying to hide the rage in his voice. "Leave the bodies; we don't have time to bury them."

Kirby patted Metaknight on the shoulder. "But Metty… they're our friends."

"We will mourn them when we're safe," Metaknight muttered. "We won't be safe until we reach Rebellion."

"Where's that?" Kirby asked. "How long will that be?" He looked at a nearby villager. "Should I carry one or two of them?"

"No, don't waste the energy," Metaknight said. He removed his sword with ease and sheathed it. "I'll get the others from the castle. King Dedede, lead everyone else to the tunnel."

King Dedede, knowing that this was not the time to argue, simply nodded and silently motioned for the others to follow him. After some slight hesitation and many glances at the fallen innocents, the group went after him. Only Mario remained behind, and though he had his back to him, Metaknight was well aware he hadn't moved.

"It seems we are in the same situation," Metaknight said with bitter amusement. "We both failed our citizens by waiting too long to evacuate."

Mario felt no need to remind him of that fact. "We won't make this mistake in the future. We'll insist that Krystal evacuate as soon as she possibly can."

"Krystal is less… egotistical than I am and far more cautious than you," Metaknight said bluntly. "She will have moved civilians out of danger months ago."

Before Mario could respond, Metaknight had taken off toward the castle. Mario felt no need to stay, and he followed King Dedede.

They traveled a few miles south through a thick forest. They could feel eyes watching them as they walked, but the presence of King Dedede seemed to scare off any potential threats. They walked slowly so that the others could catch up, but even so they reached the tunnel a while before the others. After a few moments of rest, Luigi suddenly fell to his knees.

"Luigi!" Mario shouted, rushing to his brother's aid. He grabbed his brother's shoulders and felt a violent shudder, and then he saw a drop fall from his face.

"I…" Luigi sobbed. "I hurt him, Mario. I… I killed him!"

Mario immediately dropped to his brother's level and hugged him tightly. He rubbed his back, comforting him as best as he could manage. "It's okay, Luigi, it's okay," he whispered. "It's going to be alright."

Luigi managed to control his sobbing, latching onto Mario for the slightest bit of safety. He couldn't bring himself to say anything else, only repeating that he hurt him, that he killed him.

Yoshi and Hammer Bro watched the pair of brothers consoling each other, each one feeling uneasiness for the same reason. They glanced at each other, both wanting to speak about it but neither one wanting to draw attention from Luigi's true horror and disbelief. They seemed to understand each other, sharing knowing uneasy looks.

"Luigi, it'll get better," Kirby said, trying to smile brightly for his sake. "We're going to be safe soon."

"It's okay, puffball," King Dedede muttered, pulling Kirby away. "Let them deal with it. They've never done it before."

"But our smiles could help," Kirby whispered.

"Not this time," King Dedede shook his head. Neither of the brothers were paying attention to anyone else; their attention was solely on their embrace, on each other. It would have been wasted words.

It wasn't long until the other half of their group led by Metaknight arrived. His appearance startled the group, who had managed to recover themselves, but their surprise was quickly replaced with relief.

"More soldiers were arriving as we were entering the forest," Metaknight informed them. "Dozens were coming out of the tunnel."

"We made it just in time, then," King Dedede sighed. He noticed that Wario was carrying Toad. "What happened to him?"

"I tripped," Toad said embarrassingly. A bloody torn piece of Daisy's dress was tied to his knee. He winced. "I tripped… bad…"

"He fell down the hill, and his leg hit a spiked rock," Toadette explained. She glared at him. "This klutz nearly lost it."

"I'm fine," Toad tried to put on a brave face. "Don't let me slow you down."

"Just be lucky you're light, Toad," Wario muttered. He looked at the group, mentally counting. "So it's true, then? Blooper?"

Mario nodded. The two groups had a moment of silence, and then they embraced each other. Metaknight stepped into the tunnel and motioned for the others to follow, and after a few moments they continued their escape into the next universe.

* * *

The group exited the tunnel completely unaware that they were already being watched. Four pairs of eyes stared at them from nearly a mile away at four separate vantage points, each pair using a sniper rifle to survey them. Krystal was one of these pairs of eyes, and she perked up the moment she saw the new arrivals. Her ears twitched as the sound of one of her companions picked up on her earpiece.

"Well shit," Falco's voice crackled. "They actually came! It's about damn time!"

"I can't believe we're seeing them again," Fox's voice replied. "It's been years!"

"So these are the fellas y'all were telling me about," Peppy's heavy southern accent commented. "They look smaller than I thought they'd be."

"That's because we're a mile away from them," Falco replied deadpan. "Krystal, can I greet them?"

Krystal smiled as she replied, "Sorry, Falco, but I'm already there." She'd set down her sniper rifle the moment she saw them. She'd run to a nearby resting vehicle – a sleek metal motorcycle that hovered inches off the ground – that drove forward the moment she leapt onto the seat, traveling half a mile in just under a minute. By the time Falco had replied, she was within sight of the tunnel and waving her arms to get their attention.

The group stared at her as she approached, the majority of them unfamiliar with her and skeptical. She stopped her hovercycle a few feet from them and approached them cautiously, making sure to stop several feet from them to appear unthreatening.

"Who are you?" Wario demanded.

Mario turned and shushed him harshly, giving him a piercing glare that made Wario recoil immediately. He and Metaknight stepped forward and shook Krystal's hand, and at that moment the wariness of the group disappeared.

"It's good to see you again," Krystal said smiling brightly, her soothing British accent calming even the most suspicious of them. "It truly has been far too long."

"If only it could've been under better circumstances," said Mario, trying to share the smile.

"I suppose the attack has begun?" Krystal asked. Their nods were the disappointing confirmation she needed. "What is the situation of the other realms?"

"We don't know," Metaknight answered. "Mario and his group came to me. The soldiers followed, so we had to escape here."

"What of the Mushroom Kingdom?"

"It's fallen," Mario replied, dropping his gaze. "They killed… everyone…"

Krystal gasped. "Those poor creatures. They did not deserve that fate!"

"Did you evacuate civilians to safety?" Metaknight asked.

"I did what I could," she nodded at the tips of skyscrapers that just barely peaked over the horizon. "General Pepper has been evacuating Corneria for months, but there are still hundreds of thousands in the area. It is difficult to convince so many people to leave their homes. Few of them went to Rebellion; the majority were escorted off planet."

"That's good," Mario said, feeling some relief. "You did… better than us…"

Krystal placed a careful hand on Mario's shoulder. "What we are forced to fight… none of us could have prepared. You can't blame yourself for something like this. Any life you save is a victory."

"Tell that to the dead," Metaknight muttered.

Krystal blinked, somewhat taken aback. "Yes, well the dead should be what drives us forward, for when we can truly fight this army and reclaim our homes."

"I wish I had your optimism."

"Who are they?" Wario suddenly demanded.

The trio turned to where Wario was pointing and saw that three hovercycles were converging on them. Krystal smiled to herself. "You are about to meet the rest of my team."

Metaknight recognized them immediately, snorted, and moved back to the group intending to hide amongst them. Mario and Krystal stared at him in confusion as he left, and then turned to each other.

"Are they coming with us?" Mario asked.

"They know everything," Krystal replied. She nodded. "They'll come with us."

"Wonderful, then we can leave immediately."

As the three new arrivals stopped their vehicles and stepped onto solid ground, Krystal shook her head and looked to the sky.

"Not quite," she said.

As the three figures became recognizable, some of the group smiled excitedly. The figures greeted Mario first, shaking his hand with enthusiasm.

"It's good to see your face," Fox smirked. "You've got to tell me about everything that happened over in your realm."

"Later," Mario promised. "When we're safe."

Fox moved on to the group, and Falco quickly took his place.

"You look awful," Falco noted, looking him up and down. For once, Fox had a grin that he couldn't manage. "It must be really bad over there…"

Mario simply nodded, and Falco patted him on the back and moved on. Peppy eyed him cautiously before extending his hand.

"It's good to meet ya," Peppy said. "These guys have told me a lot about ya. They respect ya a lot. It's an honor."

"Thank you," Mario nodded. Peppy moved on, and Mario asked for clarification: "They know everything?"

"I told them everything I knew from the moment the realms split apart," Krystal nodded.

"I've only told Peach," Mario admitted. "The others don't even know they're realms. I called them universes."

"Why are you leaving them in the dark?" Krystal inquired.

Mario clenched his fist. "Because I've been trying to hide them from this horror. They are too innocent. They aren't prepared. I wanted them to get to safety and live out their new lives while I handled… this…"

Krystal simply shook her head. She could tell that even Mario knew it was a foolish idea. Their conversation was interrupted by the three new arrivals joining them.

"So, Krystal, what's the plan?" Fox asked.

Krystal couldn't help but smirk. "It's so rare to hear you ask for orders, Fox."

Fox shrugged. "This isn't my fight; it's yours. I'm just your loyal soldier," he bowed.

"Stay like that," Falco joked. "I want to get a good look of you bowing like that. I'd take a picture if I had a camera; show it to you when you get a big head."

"When do I get a big head?" Fox asked, feigning innocence. "I'd love for you to show me."

"Boys, stop it!" Peppy stood between them. "Enough banter. In case you forgot, these are refugees! They can't afford to watch you talk."

"We have time," Metaknight said, stepping forward. "We can afford a small break for recuperation. Not much."

"Should we head to base?" Fox asked. "Slippy might've come back."

Falco looked to the sky and shook his head. "No, his Arwing's still up there. We'll need to call him."

"We also have someone who needs medical attention," Daisy offered, pointing to Toad.

"I can take a look at that leg," Peppy offered.

Fox clapped. "Perfect. All the more reason to go." He pulled out a remove control and pressed a button on it. "We can't carry you all on our hovercycles. We'll need something bigger."

"Please tell me you're bringing a Landmaster," said Wario. "I'd love to ride in that!"

Falco laughed. "You kidding? We can barely fit in those things." Wario's face immediately dropped.

A few seconds later, a large bus appeared over the horizon. It seemed to be on autopilot; there wasn't a soul inside. The Star Fox insignia was painted on both sides, the only orange on the white and blue surface. As the bus stopped beside them, the doors slid open and Fox leapt into the driver's seat.

"Base is a couple miles out," Fox motioned for them to come on. "We drive there in a couple minutes or walk there in a half hour. Let's go!"

The choice was obvious. A minute later, all were on board and Fox began driving. The moment the bus had started, the group noticed something they couldn't see before. Miles off the planet, there was a giant behemoth of a metal spaceship floating in the air. It was firing red laser blasts at several gnat-like objects circling it.

"That is something we've never seen before," Falco said, pointing at it. "It appeared in a flash of light several hours ago, waking all of us up."

"Slippy went up to investigate," Fox continued, keeping his eyes on the road. "Krystal had a bad feeling about it, so she had us take position outside the tunnel in case you guys came through."

"One of the few times I wish I had been wrong," Krystal sighed, staring longingly at the sky.

"It isn't… part of this universe?" Birdo asked.

"Not unless Andross has been busy," Falco replied. "We think that's the enemy."

With that dangerous thought in mind, the group reached the base. The base itself was a large silver dome located miles from the nearest city in a valley. The group stared at its size in awe; it was the largest structure any of them had ever seen, dwarfing even Peach's and King Dedede's castles.

"This holds all of our ships," Fox explained as he drove them inside the comparatively tiny garage door. "Including the Great Fox that you guys have seen so many times before. When we take off in that, the entire dome roof drops and we take off straight out of the top."

The dome's living quarters were only a small fraction of the entire building. The vast majority of space was taken up by the team's collection of vehicles. The Great Fox rested in the center of the dome, its tallest point nearly touching the roof of the massive dome. Several dozen Arwings, Landmaster Tanks, and other various vehicles were lined up facing the several garage doors that were built around the floor.

Fox parked the bus and pointed to a few of the regular doors that lined the flat wall of the otherwise curved room. "First one leads to our planning room. Second leads to our rooms – off limits. Third leads to kitchen and supply room if you need to eat. Fourth leads to hospital."

"Food sounds good right now," Kirby admitted.

"Help yourself," said Falco. "We won't be here for a while, and we have way too much food."

"Go to the kitchens if you're hungry," Mario said to the group, who were looking to him for guidance. "Come to the planning room when you're done. That's where I'll stay."

Wario placed a strong hand on Mario's shoulder, keeping him from moving. "Not again, Mario. These guys are talking about 'realms' and 'Rebellion' like it's common knowledge. You're giving us all the answers. You aren't leaving my sight until I get them."

"You shouldn't speak to Mario like that," Krystal scolded. "He's leading you to safety. You have no reason to question him!"

Mario turned around and gave a long, defeated sigh. "It's fine, Krystal, I wanted to tell them anyway. You want to follow me, Wario, then fine. We won't discuss Rebellion until everyone is in the planning room."

"Oh," Wario removed his hand instinctively, surprised by the sudden turn. "Good… finally we'll get all the answers."

Toad had been given to Peppy during the conversation, and he motioned for the hare to stop. "You don't have to wait for me," he grunted. "I don't care."

"Same with me," Toadette added, just a few steps behind them. "Just let us know when we're leaving."

Peppy gave a sly grin. "And I already know everythin' I can know. I'll be as quick as a rabbit."

"That doesn't get any funnier!" Falco shouted as Peppy left the room. He shook his head and muttered, "Old coot…"

"Is no one hungry?" Mario asked the remaining group. Only Kirby raised his hand, but even his curiosity outweighed his appetite. As a result, all of them were led to the planning room.

The planning room was surprisingly small for how important it was. There was a large round metal table in the very center with five cozy rolling chairs surrounding it. The walls were lined with maps of the system, the planet, the city, and other locations of interest. A single computer rested in one of the walls, a sleek and silver piece of technology that held all of Star Fox's important files.

The group stood around the room while the Star Fox team took their seats. All eyes were on Mario, which he thought was somewhat unfair. He looked to Krystal and Metaknight for help, but they offered no guidance.

"Okay," Mario started. "Uh, what questions do you all have?"

"Where are we?" Wario said immediately. "What are we doing here? Where are we going? Why are we going there? What are realms? What is Rebellion? Where is Waluigi? Why haven't you been telling us the truth?"

Mario blinked. "I didn't… tell you all the truth-"

"No, question by question," Wario interrupted. "I'll repeat myself if you need me to."

Mario took a deep breath to compose himself. The eyes on him were making him far more nervous than he should have felt; they were accusatory even if the people behind them weren't intending for them to be. He felt like he had been doing something terrible to them by lying to the.

"Okay, we are on Corneria… in the Star Fox realm…" Mario paused. Wario was motioning for him to continue elaborating. "In… Nintendo Universe… We're connected to the Dreamland and Mushroom Kingdom realms. That is where we are. There are other realms connected to other realms, but no others are in our… area."

To Mario's immense relief, Krystal elaborated. "Imagine a circle. Five lines ending in a circle extend from that circle in a pentagon formation. One of those is the Mushroom Kingdom realm. For each of those five circles, imagine another two lines extending from each, and then those lines connect to each other like a triangle. That would be the Star Fox and Dreamland realms."

Wario looked deep in thought for several moments, and then he slowly nodded. "Next question."

"Do you have that map in mind?" Krystal asked. Wario slowly nodded again. "Those five circles are connected to each other, but not to the triangles, you see. So for one to travel to one of those five, you can't be in, say this realm. You have to be in one of the circle realms, which is the Mushroom Kingdom realm."

"Okay, so why didn't we just go to one of the other circle realms?" Wario asked.

"Because we would be abandoning those in the other realms," Mario took over. "If we went there, the soldiers would have taken Metaknight by surprise, and then potentially Krystal by surprise. We needed to bring them with us."

"Where?"

"Rebellion," Mario answered. "A realm of safety. It's a secret to everyone but us."

"Us?"

"Mario, Metaknight, and myself," Krystal answered. "We are called Realm Representatives. We are incredibly important to our realms."

"Rebellion isn't on that map you're visualizing," Metaknight added. "It is a secret, seventeenth 'circle' that branches off from the Legend of Zelda realm. The realm that connects to the Mushroom Kingdom."

"It's safe, Wario," Mario said. "It's where we're all going to escape this war."

"Why are we escaping?" Wario asked. "Why aren't we fighting back?"

"Because the army is far too powerful for any of us to fight alone," Krystal answered. "The only possible way we can win is if we all band together and fight as one."

"How do you know that?"

"Because we've known about the army's strength for years," Mario answered, and his guilt was obvious. Krystal and Metaknight looked at the ground, and some of the most knowledgeable were looking in other directions.

Wario stared at them in turn in complete shock. He could only manage a blunt, "What?" He was growing furious.

"Wario, please," Peach stepped forward quickly. "You don't know the full situation."

He rounded on her, forcing her to step backward just as quickly. "But you apparently knew. You knew that there was a giant army of killers just a few feet from us, and you did nothing about it! You didn't try to stop them, you didn't tell us about them, you didn't let us make our own choice! You told us to run and forced us to run! Why shouldn't I be completely furious with you?"

"Because we didn't make the army," Mario answered. "We didn't want it to exist! It wasn't our choice!"

"Then whose choice was it?"

"The Gods," Mario answered.

Wario blinked. He didn't know whether to laugh, punch Mario in the head, or storm out. Before he could do anything, there was a loud crackling sound emanating from the computer. Fox leapt to his feet and sprinted to the computer, tapping the keys like crazy.

"Slippy?" Fox shouted. "Slippy? Are you there?"

Slippy's voice faded in and out, masked by the noise. "…Fox… hit… ng do… so… so… rry… run…"

"Slippy!"

There was a brief moment of pause, and then the loudest sound any of them heard erupted from across the building. The terrifying wrenching sound of metal snapping and breaking and scraping against itself, of flames roaring and burning, of glass shattering, of the world seemingly blowing up.

The building shook with such ferocity that most of the group fell to the ground. The maps were knocked off the walls and floated down; the few pictures adorning the walls were knocked off their frames and crashed.

Smoke rushed through the doorframe. The smell of burning fuel wafted through the room, and the room itself was growing hotter.

The Star Fox team were the first to their feet. The door wouldn't open on its own, so they had to force it open. It took all three of them, but they managed to make a hole large enough for them to squeeze through. They rushed through into the flames, searching for the flame retarding equipment.

The remaining group helped each other up and followed after them. King Dedede single handedly wrenched the door open while the others ran through. They kept low, keeping below the smoke. There were fires everywhere; most of the vehicles had been destroyed, and fires had sprouted from many of them.

There was a giant hole in the dome letting sunlight through. Metal bars bent inward, dangling from the hole with barely any grip. A large piece of the dome snapped off as the group went further into the garage. It bounced off the Great Fox, which had taken so much damage that it had fallen over, crushing anything underneath it. Its wing had been scraped off by the ground, and the other dangled uselessly in the air.

There was a loud alarm and sprinklers sprayed water throughout the dome. The small fires were snuffed, while the Star Fox team rushed to the larger fires with fire extinguishers in hand. They were so focused on the task at hand, on preserving what they could, in a desperate attempt to ignore what had just happened.

The group realized quickly as they approached the source of all of the destruction. A crumpled pile of metal had landed just below the hole. The Star Fox insignia was clearly labeled on one of the visible parts. This was one of the team's Arwings that had just crashed through the dome.

When all of the fires had been put out, the Star Fox team put their extinguishers away, turned off the alarm and the sprinklers, and slowly made their way to the wreckage. They didn't have to come close to know what it was; their worst fears had been realized.

"Oh… Slippy…" Krystal whispered.

"You… you never…" Falco could barely manage the words through his rage. "You never crash!"

Fox was emotionless. He couldn't take his eyes off of Slippy's Arwing. He stared and stared, never breaking contact. His ear twitched, and he pulled out his blaster instinctively, but only when he sensed danger did he take his eyes off of it. He'd have to mourn later.

"We have company," he said. Even though his face betrayed nothing, his eyes were filled with furious anger.

Just to prove him right, there were the sounds of distant gunfire and then a scream. And Fox took off toward the hospital, toward the source of the distress.


	6. Chapter 5

Mario

Luigi

Peach

Daisy

Yoshi

Wario

Toad

Toadette

Birdo

Dry Bones

Hammer Bro

Kirby

Metaknight

King Dedede

Bandana Dee

Fox

Falco

Krystal

Peppy

* * *

Peppy carried Toad into the medical room, a small but spotless room consisting of two medical cots, a sink, a computer, and several medicine cabinets. Both cots faced a large window that happened to have a clear view of the dogfight above. There were two doors inches from each other; one lead to the garage while the other led to the kitchen. Peppy sat Toad on a cot, and Toadette stood right by his side and held his hand. Both of them were mesmerized by the flashing lasers and the small movements of the ships above. Peppy watched them amusedly.

"Yeah, it's a real beauty: a fight in the air," he smiled. "If ya think it's exciting to watch, y'all should try being in one."

"Is that an offer?" Toadette joked. Toad gave her a look of shock. "I'm only kidding, silly."

"Don't scare me like that," Toad muttered, and his expression darkened. "I don't need you flying away. I've already lost everyone else."

"Toad…" Toadette whispered, holding his hand and rubbing it gently. "You don't know that…"

"I have to accept it. If I don't, I can't get revenge."

Peppy looked at Toad strangely, removing the cloth from his leg. "Revenge?" He repeated, analyzing the wound carefully. "If I were ya, and if I experienced half the things that I heard Krystal talking about, revenge would be the last thing on my mind."

"My entire family is dead," Toad said, wincing as Peppy started stitching the wound together. "My mother, my father, my kid brother, and my baby sister. All of them… because… because of those… evil people who came out of nowhere! Because Mario… and Peach… didn't tell us to run in time."

Peppy snorted. "Is that what you're gonna tell yerself?"

Toad glared at him. "What should I tell myself?" He yelled. "Whose fault is it?"

"Not the people trying to save ya, that's for sure," Peppy replied, giving a stitch a particularly hard yank to get him to wince again. "They're the only ones ya got."

"They knew so much, and they didn't tell us anything!" Toad argued.

"Toad, please, Peppy's right," whispered Toadette. "You can't say that about them! They had to have had their reasons!"

"Their 'reasons' got my family killed! They got everyone we knew killed!"

Toadette bit her lip, fighting back tears. "Toad…"

Toad wiped his own tears of frustration away with his free hand. "We're… we're alone…"

Peppy stopped stitching, looking at him with a mixture of sympathy and pity. "Ya have each other if nothin' else."

None of them noticed the bright light that flashed suddenly from the sky battle. None of them saw the Arwing hurtling toward them, spiraling out of control and spewing black smoke. None of them were prepared for the impact of the Arwing as it crashed into the dome.

The shockwave sent Toadette and Peppy to the ground while Toad managed to cling onto the cot with all his desperate strength. The roof shook, sending dust sprinkling onto their heads. When the seconds of torture ended, the smoke started to billow from the doorframe. Toad blinked away dust and gave the smoke a curious snort before panic set in.

"Guys!" He shouted, leaning down to shake Toadette. "Toadette! Peppy! Wake up!"

The pair on the ground groaned. Peppy had hit his head on the cot as he fell, giving himself a gash that was leaking blood. Toadette had fared much better, but she still struggled to her feet. She helped Peppy up, and the three of them attempted to recover.

Peppy felt his own wound and winced at the blood that came off his hand. "Of course the medic gets hurt," he grunted. "Ironic."

"What just happened?" Toadette asked. "Are we being attacked? Was that the enemy?"

Peppy shrugged, looking rather nonplussed. "Probably. The others will take care of it." Instead of moving to the garage, he finished working on Toad's stitches.

While he was appreciative, Toad was also extremely confused. "What? What if they can't? What if they're dead?"

Peppy didn't look up. "They can't all be dead. Krystal's alive. Besides, they can handle it; I've known them for too long to believe they can't."

Toad and Toadette glanced at each other with confusion, but they waited patiently for Peppy to finish. The moment Peppy cut the thread, he went up to the mirror above the sink and dabbed a damp towel to his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Toadette asked. "Do you want us to do that to you?"

"Don't worry yerselves 'bout me. This old hare's seen his fare share of pain. This is nothing compared to the one I got on Venom." He turned around with a smile, and then his eyes darted to the window and his entire face dropped. "Run."

The two Toads barely had any time to process his remark before they heard the window in front of them shattering. Suddenly the room was filled with the cacophony of bullets firing and shattering glass, ripping into metal and cloth and flesh, and shouts of pain and fear from everyone inside.

After an eternity, the rain of machine gun fire ended, but the room was completely opaque. Toad struggled to lift his head up, only to feel a sharp pain in his stomach. His hand shot to the pain, fearing he'd been hit by a bullet, but he couldn't find a hole or feel anything wet. He had just hit something while he was falling off the cot.

Toadette had reacted instantly the moment the first shot broke through the window; she had grabbed Toad and pulled him off the cot and to the ground, fueled only by pure adrenaline. Other than the fatigue from falling to the ground twice in such a short span of time, she was fine as well.

Peppy stood pressed against the sink, his head drooping the side, his entire body riddled with holes from the bullets and the shards of glass still sticking out of him. He hadn't had a chance.

"Oh no…" Toadette whispered, lifting her head the slightest bit to look at Peppy. She fought back tears as she stared into her boyfriend's eyes. The two of them were staring at no one but each other, and they were completely blind to anyone in the window. They could see shadows dancing around the room as those from the outside looked into the room, but they didn't dare look to see.

"We need to run," she said. Toad was staring at her with a completely blank expression. "Toad?"

Toad didn't react, and for a terrifying moment she thought he was dead. "Toad!" She whispered forcefully, and he blinked at her. "We have to run."

Toad moved his leg slightly and winced, shaking his head slightly. He opened his mouth to reply, but a voice suddenly interrupted their conversation.

"Shit, we did a number on that one," a gruff voice muttered. "Never stood a chance."

"The others are coming soon," another seethed, and the shadows moved away from the window. "Keep quiet and keep down."

Toad lifted his head just enough to see the window. Whatever soldiers were outside weren't looking at the moment. This was the one moment they had to escape. "Hold onto me."

"I will," Toadette promised.

The two scrambled to their feet and sprinted to the door to the kitchen. Toadette wrenched it open, Toad dove inside, Toadette followed and slammed the door behind her. All in just a few seconds. She leaned against the door trying to catch her breath, while Toad rested on the floor in front of her.

She smiled at him. "We made it."

There was an incomprehensible shout from the outside, and then the soldiers outside blindly opened fire on the room. Bullets shot through the walls and through the door, and Toad curled into a ball and prayed. He felt debris and dust falling onto him, but he didn't dare open his eyes. He kept his hands on his ears to muffle the piercing shrieks of bullets flying past him.

The barrage lasted just a few seconds, but Toad still didn't want to open his eyes. He had no idea if he was still breathing or if this just wasn't a nightmare of terror. If he opened his eyes and saw the truth, he'd have to accept that he truly was in this living hell. If he kept his eyes closed, he could hold onto the desperate belief that he'd finally be free.

It was the gasp of pain that forced him to wake. A gurgled "Toad…" from behind him. His head shot up, and his eyes latched onto the only good thing left in this world about to leave him. Toadette was glued to the door, blood pouring out of her. She gave a small smile as she stared at the one good thing left in this world for her. Then the light faded from her eyes, and she collapsed.

* * *

The Star Fox trio paused just in front of the door to the hospital. Light poured through holes in the walls, and they could smell the stench of blood. They were already preparing for the worst, but they were putting their feeling behind them to get rid of this threat before it hurt anyone else.

"Four of them?" Fox asked. Krystal nodded in confirmation. "Just outside the door."

"They're listening for us," Falco muttered. "They know we're coming."

"They don't know where," Fox added. "I can make it to the window if you open the door. I'll slide right underneath. Falco, can you make it outside? Quickly run through the garage and wait until you hear them shooting. Krystal, when their attention it on me, try firing on them from the door."

His two companions nodded, and Falco took off in the other direction. As soon as he turned around, he noticed that everyone else had followed them.

"Get back!" He said, waving them away. "You don't need to get hurt. We can handle this."

"What can we do to help?" Mario asked.

"Stay away," Falco replied, readying his blaster. He moved to one of the garage doors and pulled it up just enough. "We need this." He rolled underneath.

"He's through," Krystal said, putting her hand on the frame of the door. "You ready?"

Fox gave a nod, his face determined. Krystal pulled the door open slightly, and Fox zipped through. He slid across the ground and slithered beside the window. He could just barely see the outline of a shadow just at the other end. He leaned back slightly and fired two blasts into the shadow, and a scream of pain on the other side confirmed his target.

That scream set off the other two. Falco jumped from the building and landed flat on the ground, giving himself a clear view of four soldiers surrounding the window. Although he was completely exposed, all of the soldiers' attention were on the single man who'd been hit in the shoulder. Falco started firing into the men, aiming for their heads.

With the sounds of blasters firing, Fox and Krystal came out of cover and fired out of the window. The three of them fired and fired and fired into the soldiers until they stopped moving and fired some more. They fired until the lasers caught the men on fire, but they fired more. They fired until the rage in their hearts subsided, and then and only then were they calmed enough to stop.

The four soldiers were a charred pile of burnt clothes and seared flesh. Falco walked up to the pile, gave it a ferocious kick that sent one of the charred men to the grass. He kicked it again, confirming it wasn't alive. Not satisfied, he fired another shot into the corpse's head.

The threat was gone. Fox and Krystal looked back to the room and confirmed their worst fear: Peppy had fallen from the sink, and his body was sprawled on the floor. Fox dropped his blaster and kneeled by his friend. He pressed his head to Peppy's, whispering apologies and regrets. Krystal kneeled respectfully, silently mourning from a distance, her hand on her diadem as she mouthed words of respect.

It took one look into the room for most of the others to understand the situation, and they kept their distance. Even Falco was hesitant to enter the room once he was back in the building. He sat on the other side of Peppy and glared at the old rabbit with regret.

"We need to find Toad and Toadette," Peach decided. She'd been one of the few brave enough to look at the entire room. "There's another door. It leads to the kitchen."

She led the group into the kitchen, and there was where they saw the fate of Toad and Toadette. The pair were hugging each other tightly and covered in blood, and Peach rushed to them in a panic.

"Are you two hurt?" She gasped. She could only hear one crying voice, but neither of them was moving. She placed careful hands on both of their shoulders and felt the pair twitch. "Toad? Toadette?"

"She's…" Toad gulped. "She's…"

Peach immediately understood the situation. She kept a hand on Toad and removed the one from Toadette. "Toad…"

"Leave me alone!" Toad cried. "Let me be with her!"

"Toad," she continued softly. "We aren't safe. She's… she's gone."

"She's not gone! She's still here! She can't leave me alone! I don't want to leave her!"

"Toad, please," Peach gently tugged Toad, and despite his protests he let himself get pulled from Toadette. Toadette fell as he pulled, falling softly to the ground. Peach lifted Toad to his feet and walked him to the group. He stood by Birdo, who gently patted his shoulder.

"She was a great person," she whispered. "We'll all miss her."

"I'm so sorry," Kirby said, although his condolence was ignored. Toad was sobbing too loudly.

"We need to regroup," Metaknight informed them. "If soldiers have arrived, then more will be arriving soon. We had little time to relax before the army followed the scouts we killed. It will be the same here."

"I don't want to interrupt their mourning," Mario replied, his eyes full of regret as they fixed on Toad. "I want to give them time."

"Like you gave us time to mourn everyone we lost?" Dry Bones asked.

"This isn't the same situation," argued Mario.

"He's right," said Wario. "They don't deserve any more time than we did. They lost two people. We've lost thousands."

"Don't act like you two cared about any of them!" Daisy snapped at them. Luigi placed a careful hand on her shoulder to keep her from shouting, but she continued anyway: "You two are just too scared to think about anyone but yourselves; you want to get to safety and be done with everything."

Instead of shouting at her in response, Wario stared at her. "Everyone I cared about, for all I know, is dead," he said calmly. "I can't care about anyone but myself anymore. You're right: I want to get to safety. I want to live. I don't want to waste time in an unknown world when there are hundreds of people trying to kill me."

"You don't think we want the same thing?" Daisy asked. "I don't want to die either!"

"Then we shouldn't waste time mourning," Wario replied. "They're dead. They'll stay dead until we get to safety."

"They still live on in us," said Birdo.

"They won't live on if we don't," countered Wario.

Falco had finished his mourning and came up to them in time to catch the last few bits of the argument. He glared at Wario as he said, "I remember you being disgusting. I didn't think you were heartless as well."

"Shut it," Wario grumbled. "I've nearly been killed so many times today. I'm done risking my life."

"Are we leaving soon?" Metaknight asked. "Have Krystal and Fox finished."

Falco shrugged. "I don't think Fox will ever be finished. I wanted to get some fresh air, maybe take some pot shots at anyone else who tries to follow us. I didn't think I'd catch you all arguing about respecting the dead."

"The argument is over," said Luigi quickly, giving a nervous glance toward the three.

"We're leaving as soon as everyone is ready," Mario said. "Is the bus still able to drive?"

Falco tilted his head in thought, walking over to the bus. He jumped into the driver's seat, started the engine and gave a sigh of relief when he heard it humming. "It's drivable."

He hopped out and gave them a reassuring nod before opening a garage door and walking out. With the argument silenced, Toad's sobs were the only sounds echoing throughout the dome.

"We-" Toad hiccupped. "We aren't leaving her! We can't leave her!"

"We won't," Peach promised. "Wario will carry her."

At that, Wario gave a scoff, his face wrinkled in disgust. "Toadette is dead. I'm not carrying her corpse."

He got a lot of dirty looks, but he stood his ground, silently begging that someone challenged him and gave him a reason to fight. He was tired of being led blindly into danger with the vague promise of safety, yet when they most urgently needed to move they stood still and waited for danger to come. The only look of understanding he got was from Dry Bones.

"I'll carry her," King Dedede offered. "I don't mind."

Peach smiled gratefully. "Thank you so much. You're such a kind person."

King Dedede felt a beaming smile from below, and he intentionally ignored Kirby as he walked into the kitchen and picked up Toadette. He carried her in one arm like he was holding a baby, trying to ignore the blood that still seeped from her wounds. When he returned to the garage, Fox and Krystal were entering.

"Are we ready?" Fox asked if nothing had happened. He looked around the group, noticing something off immediately. "Where's Falco?"

"He's checking the building," Mario answered. "We're ready if you are."

Fox nodded. "He'll come soon. He'll run if we start driving without him."

Mario blinked, surprised by the callousness of someone who'd just lost two close friends. "Then should we leave immediately?"

Before Fox could retort, Falco made his appearance. He looked miserable, slamming the wall as he entered. As he approached the group, they could see regret and horror in his eyes.

"I figured out how the soldiers found us so fast," he said, his voice hoarse. "They used the hovercycles."

There was a pause as the others made the connection. Krystal gasped, and Fox whispered, "No…"

Falco simply nodded. Peppy and Toadette were dead because they had left their hovercycles by the tunnel. Four scouts took them, potentially following the trail left by the bus, and used Slippy's Arwing crashing as a distraction to fire upon them.

"We'll remember this," Fox said determined.

"We'll right our wrong," Falco added. He spat. "That damn old man… shouldn't have left us."

Fox placed a hand on Falco's shoulder, staring into his eyes. The pair shared the same fire. "We'll remember this the next time we face any of those bastards. We'll avenge Peppy."

The group fit themselves into the bus and left the dome. They were moving away from the city and away from the other tunnel. They could see ants moving around the tunnel's entrance, but none of them gave chase.

"Are they going back in?" Krystal wondered, removing the sniper rifle from her back and opening a hatch to the roof. She leapt onto the roof and lied down, looking through the scope. "They are! They're all going back inside!"

"Why would they be doing that?" Yoshi wondered.

"We don't have to run if they aren't chasing us!" Toad managed to gasp. "We can bu… bury… Toadette…"

In the driver's seat, Fox looked through the rearview mirror at Mario for confirmation. Mario caught his eye and silently shook his head.

Krystal aimed her sight to the sky. The dogfight seemed to have ended; not a single small fighter was in the sky. Only the giant battlecruiser that casted a giant shadow on the ground. There was a blue glow near the front just below a giant protrusion that made up its front. The blue glow was slowly growing in size and brightness.

"It's charging something," she announced warily. "It looks like an attack."

"That right?" Falco asked. "It's planning on barraging the surface?"

"All the more reason not to stop," said Wario.

After a moment of consideration, Fox turned on the radio and held a microphone up to his mouth. "General Pepper?" He said. "Evacuate Corneria City. The ship is going to fire some sort of weapon, and it's aiming at the surface. Do whatever you can. We'll meet again, if we can, sir. Good luck."

He hung up the radio with an air of finality.

"How far away is the tunnel?" Luigi asked.

"About a half hour away," Fox replied, checking the fuel gauge and cursing the fact they hadn't charged the bus beforehand. "Maybe a bit longer. We're going to be walking a bit."

That got the group's attention away from the giant ship in the sky. Fox looked back at them guiltily. "We have enough power for most of the trip. Last few minutes we'll have to walk. Or run, if we need to."

"We're safe from the soldiers," said Mario. "We'll be fine."

They traveled that half hour in relative silence save for Toad's sobs and the occasional comment. They had been running and fearing for their lives for so many hours that they hadn't realized how little sleep they had gotten. Daisy and Luigi even managed to fall asleep on each other's shoulders for a few minutes.

When the engine sputtered and died and the bus crawled to a stop, Fox gave a huge frustrated sigh and led the group outside. They filed onto the grass and took a brief look of their surroundings. The city had completely disappeared over the horizon, and only large trees dotted the landscape. As with most of the other tunnels, this one was located away from any civilization.

"It's this way," Krystal pointed, starting to move.

Falco held his hand out to stop them. "Wait!" He shouted. "The ship just fired!"

"Get back to the bus!" Fox shouted, turning around immediately.

There was a panic as everyone tried to shove themselves back into the small door. The moment Fox got back on, he slammed a button underneath the dashboard, and the bus started to morph. The sleek white and blue plates of metal flipped around, revealing a dull grey titanium surface. The wheels raised themselves, and more plates extended out of the bottom and dug into the ground. Plates rose over the windows, drenching the inside of the bus in darkness but covering every inch of the bus in a powerful shield.

"Now, we wait," Fox voice said over the hushed whispers of worry.

The ship fired its blast toward the tunnel leading to the Dreamland realm. The blast connected just on the inside of the tunnel's mouth, igniting an enormous blast of light blue energy that engulfed everything within several miles in an instant. Half of Corneria City was swallowed, and more was sucked in as the blast quickly grew in size. The hemisphere of energy created a powerful suction that was able to wrench the skyscrapers off their foundations. Anything just outside the suction was met with a large blast of wind propelling outward, causing a few of the farther skyscrapers to fall away from the blast. The energy doubled in size over just a few minutes, and then it almost instantly shrunk until it disappeared.

What was left was a giant several mile long crater. There had been so much heat released that the lands were scorched and blackened for miles, smoking and steaming. Anyone unfortunate enough to still be in the city – protected by buildings or not – had been instantly vaporized. The remaining skyscrapers were melting, and as a result collapsing in on themselves.

Most importantly, however, was that the tunnel connecting the Star Fox to the Dreamland realm had been destroyed. What was left was a collapsed hole that led to a dead end. Any potential attempt at excavating the rock would result in a lost cause. The connection between the realms had been completely severed.

Mario, Metaknight, and Krystal felt the connection snap, and they grunted in pain as a result, but their grunts were masked by the sounds of debris crashing into the bus. Being so far out of range of the blast, the group was saved from the intense heat, and the strong plating protected them from the aftereffects. What hadn't been sucked in was thrown outward, and the bus took several rocks without a scratch.

After several minutes had gone by of complete silence, Fox pressed some buttons underneath the bus's dashboard. A small screen flashed on, and a colorful sequence of numbers and figured incomprehensible to most appeared. Fox read the details carefully, and then he pressed the initial button that transformed the bus. The metal plating retracted, and light shined into the bus once again.

The landscape had been devastated by the blast. Blackened fallen trees were scattered everywhere, dirt and rocks had been piled in disfigured mounds, and the once-grassy fields were coated in a layer of brown dust.

Fox opened the door and took a careful step outside. He sniffed the air, listened around, and then motioned for the others to come out. They stepped out one by one, surveying the landscape and witnessing the destruction.

"That did all this," gasped Birdo.

"We're several dozen miles away as well," Falco muttered. "I still feel the heat."

Mario, Metaknight, and Krystal shared a silent ominous look. They understood the true ramifications of the ship's blast, but they didn't say a word to the others.

"It isn't charging another one, is it?" Luigi asked worryingly.

Krystal aimed her sniper in the sky. The ship was unmoving. There wasn't a sign of another shot. "No," she announced. "But we aren't staying here. We need to get to safety."


	7. Chapter 6

Twelve hours earlier…

James collapsed just inside the tunnel, his lungs filled with dust. He spat black saliva and tried to gasp clean air. He was pulled off of his knees by Buck who flung him out of the tunnel and sent him rolling into the grass on the other side. Buck ran forward until he was free of the tunnel, and only then did he drop to his knees.

Richard dug out a small hole in the collapsed rock, while Willicent pushed out the nearby boulders. They loosened and began to roll, and the pair climbed through the small opening before it was replaced by even more rock. The two of them followed their comrades out of the tunnel and into the safety of the Final Destination realm.

The four of them rested in silence for nearly twenty minutes before the dust in their lungs had been spat and coughed out and they were able to catch their breath. James opened up the discussion by asking the obvious: "What the hell was that?"

"I had…" Willicent gasped. "No idea… he came to me asking to be brought on my mission... I had no idea this was what he meant."

"He played you for a damn fool," James spat, glaring at him. "He played us all for idiots. He nearly got us all killed!"

"He was a spy for the enemy the entire time," Richard muttered. "As leader, I take responsibility for not seeing it earlier."

"Get over it," James grunted. "You don't take responsibility for anything."

"This was… my mission," Richard replied with regret.

"Doesn't matter," Buck said. "Tunnel's gone. Gotta report to the general."

"I'd rather report to the Commander himself," said James. "Tell them the enemy's infiltrated us."

"You do that," Willicent taunted. "We'll see if the Commander is okay with that idea."

"Shut up, you creep. It's better than sitting on our asses wishing we did better," said James, struggling to get to his feet. "You know what we're supposed to do. Follow the damn protocol. We can't sit here forever."

Willicent stared at him, debating finishing the job that Mario started. The grenade killed one of them, and these three were weakened, but they still outnumbered him, and he'd lost his rifle in the explosion. He was lucky to have survived that; he didn't need to push his luck. He nodded and got to his feet.

The four of them trekked the long distance to the nearest camps. They hitched a ride on a nearby truck and went to the central bases. They stopped at Alpha camp, where the details for the mission had come. James ran toward the largest building in the base while the others stood outside.

Twenty minutes later, James exited the building escorted by three large soldiers and an even larger soldier with an air of superiority about him. This man was the second-in-command for the entire army, and he was furious with the insubordination. He immediately stripped Richard of his leadership position and commanded the four to go to several camps dotted around the realm. Richard was sent to the West, Buck to the East, James to the Southwest, and Willicent to the Southeast.

Willicent was escorted by one of the soldiers to a truck filled with other unfortunate soldiers. All of them were nervous for reasons that were completely out of his understanding, but these reasons were revealed to him shortly.

The sun was rising over the horizon by the time the truck reached its destination. There was a long line of similar-looking trucks all parked around this camp. It was a small camp, and it was filled completely with hundreds of soldiers. Men were spilling out of the entrance, and barely anyone was able to move. Willicent watched this scene in horror before the truck came to a stop and the soldiers on the truck pushed him off. He dropped to the ground and stood staring while the others tried to cram themselves into the camp.

Willicent stepped to the driver's side door, where the driver was watching the scene with amusement. "Hey!" Willicent called, getting his attention. "What's going on?"

The driver looked at him in confusion. "Have you seriously forgotten? Did something get messed up in that head of yours?"

"I took a bunch of rocks to the head," Willicent admitted, giving a guilty smile. "Remind me."

"The attack's starting," the driver answered. "You're part of the front lines! You're going to war!"

Willicent blinked. His heart started racing. He stared at the scene with horror now, at the hundreds of soldiers who were trying to get last meals or scrounge for weapons or say goodbye to friends. He understood why the men on the truck were so eager to join the chaos: the attack that had been anticipated for months was finally happening.

"Better join them," the driver chuckled. "I doubt there'll be much to eat in the mess hall, but maybe you could get a crumb or two if you beg."

He wasn't hungry. He hadn't slept in nearly a day, but he wasn't tired. He was looking around, trying to find a way out of this. There wasn't anyone watching him. He couldn't run in the other direction; a soldier going AWOL would be obvious no matter how large the world was. He could, however, take the driver's place at the wheel. He'd lost his weapons, but maybe if he was quiet enough...

A siren blew, startling him. The attack was beginning. As if synchronized, the soldiers stopped what they were doing and poured out of the camp. Off in the distance, other camps were emptying out even more soldiers. The trucks all started their engines at the same time, and soldiers who were quick on their feet hopped on the easy passage to the front lines.

A dozen soldiers came straight toward him, and they pushed him onto the truck so that they could get on themselves. Willicent felt himself trapped against the wall of the truck as he watched the waves of men all converge on the tunnel. As the truck began to move, carefully maneuvering around the wave, Willicent felt his chances of escape slipping away, and he felt almost certainly that he was going to die.

Men lined up at the tunnel in groups of one hundred – ten lines of ten marching in sync – before entering the tunnel. Willicent watched three groups enter before the soldiers on his truck shouted in victory and jumped off. Willicent paused before a soldier on the ground barked at him to move, and he was pushed near the back of the group. Soldiers filed in on all sides of him, and he was trapped, forced to move.

As he passed the tunnel entrance, he felt his gaze turn a familiar blue, and he felt calm and relaxed. He knew right then and there that he would survive this death march, that he would find a way to escape and find his friends again. Even as he approached the sounds of death and war, he knew he wouldn't die.

And as the light shined ahead, he reaffirmed that he wasn't a soldier marching blindly toward death like all of those around him. He was Waluigi of the Mushroom Kingdom. He had a mission to accomplish, and he would accomplish that mission before he fell.

"Attack! Attack!"

The words of triumph echoed throughout the tunnel, shouted by those in front. The inspiring cheer drove the wave of soldiers forward; their march turned into a jog and then a charge. Waluigi was forced to sprint to keep in step with the much larger men, and more than once he stumbled and nearly fell. The soldiers were shouting their own battle cries, punching fists and weapons in the air, fires burning in their eyes. They burst out of the tunnel and onto the battlefield.

The Legend of Zelda realm was far more prepared for the army than the Mushroom Kingdom had been. They had been planning for this war for months, and the leaders of the various species had united in a truce in order to defeat this powerful threat. The tunnel was located in a small valley with only a single path leading further in the realm; a large wall had been hastily built on all sides, and the scattered remains of rocks indicated that one of the sides had already been destroyed.

The defenders had known the wall was only a small diversion. Further up the slope, another wall had been erected, a nearly invincible wall that wouldn't be cracked by a few explosives. This one was made of dozens of Gorons rolled into balls and stacked on top of each other. Bullets ricocheted harmlessly off their rocky backs, and the grenades tossed near them exploded with minimal damage to the Gorons themselves. Despite how precariously they seemed to be perched, their arms were interlocked and they compensated for any slight movement of the wall.

The sky was black was thunderous cloud pouring rain down on the combatants below. The path upward was slick with mud, and the soldiers had to plod just to reach the wall. A few attempted to climb, but the Gorons whacked them away like they weighed nothing.

The worst part of all was that there was a grove of tall trees around the valley, and in the trees unseen assailants were throwing Deku Nuts, firing arrows, and tossing rocks and spears at the hapless soldiers below. The Deku Nuts blinded and paralyzed anyone within the explosion, making them incredibly easy targets for the more dangerous weapons.

Within minutes of Waluigi entering the realm, the bodies were piling up. Soldiers were firing blindly into the trees, and rarely a Hylian soldier or a Deku or an Octorok fell, but the army was losing men far faster. Worse yet, as the waves went through the tunnel, there was less room for the soldiers in front to maneuver or hide. Waluigi felt himself being pushed in all directions by confused men. He struggled to stay on top, threatening to fall beneath and get crushed by the increasing number of men being corralled into this choke point.

The tide of the ocean of men pushed Waluigi toward the wall. He felt himself pressed against it by the bodies of hundreds of men; the life was being choked out of him. He tried to grip onto the rock wall, but his hand slipped and he lost his balance. He fell into the sea of bodies, keeping himself into a ball, unwilling to move in fear of getting crushed.

Then he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He felt such a powerful presence that he felt compelled to lift his head to get a look. Somehow, the wave had stopped moving in such a chaotic, unpredictable manner; it was calm despite all of the weapons being thrown at it. Waluigi took this brief opportunity of peace to push against the wall and lift his head above the others. The moment he had a view of this strange source of power, he immediately regretted it.

The soldiers had stopped their pathetic attempts at beating this impossible force. They stopped scrambling frantically to escape this pit to which they were condemned. They stared in awe as a single man stepped through the tunnel, stared at the thunderclouds, and smirked. He seemed to tower above them all despite, stepping through the sea of men as if it were air. The soldiers managed to work together to make a small path for this man to step through, although the path closed as soon as the man passed.

Although the army had stopped their plans to watch this man, the defenders couldn't afford such a luxury. They fired everything they could at the man, but the arrows and spears bounced harmlessly off his thick armor, and the few that managed to stick through skin were brushed aside. The Deku Nuts and rocks were nothing more than pebbles to him; he brushed them aside with lazy swipes of his hands.

When he reached the wall of Gorons, he unsheathed a massive sword that was just as tall as he was. The moment he did, all projectiles stopped. Everyone in the area was watching this man, wondering with horror or awe whether he was capable of punching through an obstacle that all of these men were unable to defeat.

He lifted the sword high in the air, a black and gold patterned sword radiating dark purple and black energy that seemed to suck all of the light and energy around it. He held it in the air, his gaze focused only at the obstacle in front of him. Then he roared and sliced the sword downward with all of his strength. There was a moment of pause, and then the Gorons split completely in two, breaking the wall and sending the Gorons crashing to the ground. The Gorons attempted to get up and roll to safety, but the man set upon each individual who attempted to rise. He cleaved each of them in half, leaving not a single survivor.

Once all of the Gorons had been killed and the river of water flowing down the valley was dark with blood, the man turned around and pointed his sword at the castle. He uttered not a single word, but at once the soldiers heard his command and charged with renewed strength. They passed him by, giving him a look of awe and respect, and separated. Many of them turned around and started up the trees, chasing down the defenders who caused them so much misery. The rest, including Waluigi, reached the end of the valley and the second line of defense.

The path led to Lake Hylia, a massive body of water that stretched for miles in all directions. There wasn't a path laid out for them; all of the soldiers would have to wait for a bridge to be made or swim. They unspoken consensus was that there would be creatures swimming in the water's depths, although the clouds above made the water below too dark to see through. Grenades were thrown in all directions, exploding underneath the surface. A few Zoras floated to the surface, all of them burnt or torn to pieces by the explosions.

With their suspicions confirmed, the soldiers leapt into the water. They swam for the nearest islands, their weapons at the ready. The few who were able to scrounge for night-vision goggles dove beneath the surface and attacked anything in range. The wave of soldiers was into the thousands, and they were all attacking on the idea that their numbers were so massive that many of them would reach the other side unharmed.

The Zoras had a huge advantage, but their numbers paled in comparison to their enemy. They attacked who they could and ran when they could, but they and their underwater fighters weren't even able to make a significant number of casualties. They attacked for an hour while the soldiers struggled to swim from island to island, but when the line of men was able to reach the shore that led to Hyrule Fields, the Zoras swam upriver back to their domain.

Meanwhile, throughout this hour Waluigi kept as close to the middle of the pack as he could. He never had any close calls, and he thanked whoever was watching out for him that nothing decided to attack from below. He was exhausted by the time he reached the other side, but he made it alive. As he climbed onto the bank and rested with some of the other exhausted soldiers, he stared behind him and saw the never ending stream of men that went back through the tunnel. He could see thousands in the lake, and he knew this was barely a fraction of all of the soldiers in the army.

"How are we supposed to beat them?" He whispered to himself. He needed a plan. He turned forward and saw Hyrule Castle standing in the distance. That was the goal. That was where the leaders of this strange universe were holding up. If he could get to them and tell them everything he knew, they could do much more with it than he ever could. They might get the advantage they needed to stop this seemingly endless onslaught.

He heard someone shouting over the roars of war. He looked to his left and saw one of the army leaders – a man whose only distinguishing characteristics were the multiple medals pinned onto his suit and his silvery-white mustache - yelling at the soldiers resting, forcing them to fight. The leader locked eyes with Waluigi, and he stormed over to him.

"Get on your feet! Your soldiers are dying around you, and what are you doing?" The leader spat in Waluigi's face, yanking him to his feet like he weighed nothing. "You're lying on your lazy ass. Well guess what? You're being useful to me if you won't be useful to them!" He grabbed Waluigi by the arm. "I have a special mission for you!"

With no possible way to fight back, Waluigi let himself get dragged over the beach. The leader picked six other soldiers and forced them to follow him. They moved toward Hyrule Field, where the majority of the fighting was taking place.

The slaughter before the lake was nothing compared to the fighting going on here. Hundreds of thousands of Hylian soldiers had created multiple blockades that went the length of the field. The first blockade consisted entirely of boulders, and archers and spearmen stood on top of the wall of rocks and hurled their projectiles at the enemy. Whenever one fell, another immediately jumped up to take his place.

The soldiers were falling by the dozens. The section of the field that had been walled off was barren. All of the trees had been uprooted, and the grass was mowed so neatly there was no possible way to hide. The soldiers were in the open with nothing but the fallen bodies of their comrades to hide behind. Makeshift walls of bodies were being hastily made, although few men were able to stay in safety. The rest were grouped tightly and focusing on sections of the wall to attack.

Waluigi was led to the West as soon as he entered the battlefield. The leader pointed ferociously at the mountain overlooking the field, its active volcano spewing a constant stream of black smoke.

"That's your target," The leader shouted, shoving a crudely drawn map into Waluigi's hands. "There's another tunnel at the base of the mountain. Get there and get help. We need an attack from behind, and there's no chance we can get word back in time." The leader suddenly ducked, and an arrow soared over his head. He unholstered a pistol from his belt and fired two shots instantly, and his targets fell off the wall. He turned back with renewed anger. "Make a damn hole for yourself and get through! They aren't going to care about a few of you running around."

The seven of them stared at the leader as he gave them a nod and ran back into the fray. Then they turned to Waluigi for guidance. Waluigi blinked, taken completely aback at his good luck. He looked at the map, got a vague idea of where the tunnel was located, and pointed at where the boulder wall met the natural rock wall. There was a small hole.

"Make that hole bigger!" Was his command. Although to a more observant person it would have given away the fact that Waluigi barely understood the army's terminology, the soldiers instantly understood. Two took out grenades and rolled them just under the hole, and their explosions caused the boulder to crumble. The seven of them sprinted through the hole and into freedom.

Somehow, nobody had seen them. All of the attention was on the bulk of the army, and indeed nobody on the defending side had foreseen the possibility that they could break through so quickly. Furthermore, most of the boulders had been used on the initial wall, and the rest of Hyrule Field was barren. Their path was clear of obstacles. Thousands of Hylian Soldiers stood in formation covering large portions of the field, but their attention was solely focused on the battle outside Lake Hylia. None of them thought to search for a few men escaping the battle on their own mission.

The seven men ran along the edge of the wall, using its shadow to keep hiding. It took them ages to reach the foot of the mountain, but when grass turned to rock they slowed from a sprint to a jog. They turned up a gradual slope and hid behind a protruding boulder. They gathered around Waluigi as he spread the map out. The tunnel was within the area. Again, the six soldiers were staring at him for instruction.

"You three," he pointed at random. "Go up the path as far as it goes. You two follow these branching paths and see where they go. You-" he pointed at the last soldier. "-and I will search the base. Now go, quickly, the others are counting on us!"

Without a word, the five men sprinted up the slope and disappeared as the path curved around the rock. Waluigi barely considered the final man who was staring at him with a respect he didn't deserve. The two of them ran back down the mountain and started making their way around the base.

Waluigi knew for a fact he wouldn't find anything; the tunnel seemed to be near the top. He was searching the surroundings for a good chance to escape, but most of the trees had been cut down for building material. The fields were flat and nearly empty; most of the outposts within sight were unmanned, to be used as bases if the initial defenses fell.

Waluigi sighed in relief when he saw a narrow corridor leading deep into the rock. He turned to the soldier and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think I found it." He pointed toward it. "Go back up the mountain and tell them where it is. I'll scout it out."

The soldier nodded with noticeable skepticism, and he turned around and ran off. To make his story seem convincing, he took enough steps into the corridor until he was out of view. He waited a minute, crept back out, checked that nobody was in sight, and then ran toward Hyrule Castle.

He stopped once he saw the walls surrounding the castle, crouching behind a small hill far enough away that he was indistinguishable. The walls were manned with a large portion of the Hylian army; all possible entry points were guarded; all surroundings were watched. There was no way to sneak into the castle.

He rested his head on the ground, trying to think of a way to get to the leaders. He debated stripping and posing as a commoner, but he knew they would be suspicious of anyone trying to approach. He could turn around and try to find a spare Hylian soldier garb, but he didn't know if his lankiness would match their body types.

It didn't matter. He heard a shout from behind and turned to see the soldier he had just sent away running up to him. He was alone; obviously he hadn't done what Waluigi asked.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The soldier demanded. "This isn't our mission! We aren't supposed to attack the castle yet!"

"This isn't your mission," Waluigi agreed, getting to his feet and thinking quickly. "This is my mission, however, to assassinate the leader."

The soldier blinked. He knew nothing about Waluigi, and his only experience was excellent leadership that had gotten them through a deadly blockade. Yet he was disobeying a direct order from a superior. That seemed to convince him, and he unholstered a pistol and held it at Waluigi's chest.

"Tell me the codename of your mission," The soldier said.

"Codename…" Waluigi paused, his eyes darting from the soldier's face to his pistol.

Then he acted, latching onto the soldier's arms and pushing them away. The pistol fired a bullet into the distance, and during the scuffle it fell into the grass. Waluigi wrestled with the soldier, pushing his full weight on top. The soldier had more strength and quickly gained the upper hand. He wrenched away from Waluigi's grasp and grabbed his neck and squeezed. Waluigi punched his arms desperately, kicked him, and fell to his knees, his vision fading, as his breath left him.

"Freeze!" Came a shout, and immediately Waluigi felt air rush back into his lungs. He gasped into the ground, forcing himself to breathe as his vision returned. When he managed to look up, the soldier's arms were in the air and they were surrounded by Hylian men all pointing weapons at them.

* * *

They were led at spearpoint through the town and into the castle, climbing up multiple flights of the stairs to the very top, where the throne room was located. The leaders of the defense were sitting on a raised platform, all four in lavish, custom-made chairs. Waluigi and the soldier were led to the center of this room and forced to kneel.

"Why are these men here?" A Hylian woman in the largest chair asked, eyeing the pair cautiously. "Have they surrendered?"

"They probably have information," A Hylian man at her side reasoned. "They are soldiers, after all."

"Soldiers?" A large Goron scoffed, staring at them with a smile filled with disgust. "Crush them and be done. We'll have more than enough soldiers to be sick of them."

"Before they come, we should listen to what they say," A female Zora argued. "If they cooperate, they can live through this war."

"They won't say a word," The Goron replied. "Of course you'd agree with your lover."

"Enough, Darunia," The woman said sternly.

The man got to his feet, his hand going immediately to the large sword sheathed on his back. "I agree with Ruto." He walked toward the pair. His soldiers moved aside as he got close. "We can reach an agreement if they're willing to survive."

The soldier sneered at the offer. "You'll never get us to talk!"

But Waluigi immediately interjected. "I'm willing to talk!" He said, practically begging. "I want to live!"

The soldier stared at him in shock. "You say you want to assassinate him, and then you wish to go to his side?"

Waluigi saw no reason to lie to him. "That was a lie to get you to leave!"

"Or he's lying now," Darunia said, suddenly growing interest. "Hard to gauge these humans. They aren't like us Gorons!"

But the man didn't seem deterred. His attention switched from Waluigi to the other soldier, and he kneeled down next to him. "You saw you do not wish to live?"

The soldier's glare was filled with malice. "You're the enemy," he spat. "I'm not giving you anything, and this coward is willing to sell out his fellow men to secure his safety. He's worth nothing."

"I never was-" Waluigi began, but the man held out a hand to stop him. Waluigi quieted, staring at the hand.

"I don't care about your past," the man said, his hand returning to his side. "I care about your future, and you should as well. If you say you wish to die, I will gladly-" The man suddenly grunted, his legs gave out, and he dropped to his knee. He gasped in pain, and the Hylian soldiers started shouting.

"He attacked Link!"

"I saw him too!"

"What about the other?"

"His hands were at his sides, he didn't do it!"

"Hurry, save Link!"

"Kill him!"

Then the spears came forward, and the soldier was punctured from all sides. Waluigi dove away, and when he looked up the soldier was already on the ground, blood pouring from all of his wounds.

The Hylian soldiers helped the man called Link to his feet, and he thanked them while he clutched his chest. He turned to the woman and said, "It happened. They destroyed a tunnel."

"Are you hurt?" The woman asked.

Link shook his head, looking at the soldier's body sadly. "It was poor timing. He didn't attack me. It was something else that caused me that pain." Then he looked to Waluigi. "So you wish to live?"

Waluigi nodded.

"Then tell us everything you know."


	8. Chapter 7

Mario

Luigi

Peach

Daisy

Yoshi

Wario

Toad

Birdo

Dry Bones

Hammer Bro

Kirby

Metaknight

King Dedede

Bandana Dee

Fox

Falco

Krystal

* * *

They wasted no time in rushing through the devastated landscape toward the tunnel. Krystal took it upon herself to lead the group, and through her keen sense of direction they were all able to reach the tunnel within minutes. The bus was abandoned; there was no reason to sneak such technology through the realms no matter its usefulness.

Furthermore, Mario gave them a piece of information when Wario suggested doing just that: "There is a direct path connecting the two tunnels. We were planning on having it extend to all of the tunnels, but we didn't have the time."

"What kind of path?" Wario asked.

"A railway," Peach answered. "There is a small trolley we can all ride."

Wario was tempted to say that he'd pass on riding in a trolley, but he kept quiet. He hung back, intentionally running slowly. He was growing tired of being led from one miserable place to another. He had already realized that he wasn't the target; the targets had to have been the three of them. The ones who called themselves "Realm Representatives". He was nobody to those soldiers. That fact would have bruised his ego, but with the strength and firepower those soldiers showed it was more of a blessing.

Dry Bones slowed down with him, and the pair's jog turned into a slow walk. "Am I right in assuming you don't trust Mario either?"

Wario snorted. "What was your first clue?"

Dry Bones stared at him thoughtfully. "What are our chances elsewhere? Mario says we're close to safety. He's an idiot, but he isn't a traitor. He may lead us to our demise, but he'll believe he's doing good until his last breath."

"That's the thing," Wario shook his head, dropping his eyes to the ground and tightening his fists in frustration. "He's been lying to us all for years. You weren't here when he changed. You knew him when he was happy and carefree, when his only concern was stopping Bowser's schemes and keeping this kingdom safe. But Bowser and his minions disappeared from the world, and instead of enjoying the peace, Mario grew distant.

"He stopped going out. He stopped coming to our parties and enjoying our games. Soon he got Peach staying in her castle for weeks, never coming out. Then they got married suddenly-"

Dry Bones stopped. "What?"

Wario gave a knowing grin, something he couldn't pull off without looking sinister. "You didn't notice the rings? Dry Bones, I'm disappointed. They got hitched… what is it now? Five months ago? Then greenie and his girl married right after, and the four of them all moved into the castle. That was the last time I spoke to them, not that I cared. But I got a letter a few days ago begging me to come to the castle, to stay a few nights. So I left the comfort of my luxurious castle for this misery…"

"So you don't think Mario is trustworthy because he changed? It seems to be that he got far more responsibility than he was prepared for, and the stress is affecting him."

"Yeah, but this Mario that we're following is not the Mario I know and begrudgingly trust. I don't know this person. Mario never let stress get to him. Now it's suddenly too much for him?"

"We've never dealt with anything like this before," Dry Bones reasoned. "How many times have we all dealt with so much death? This isn't anything any of us can understand with the little information we've been given."

"Mario's kept so many secrets from us for so long," Wario muttered. "Am I supposed to believe that he'll finally tell us everything we want to know? He has years of stuff to explain."

Dry Bones couldn't answer that. He offered an alternative: "Perhaps we should find our own truth."

"How? We don't know anyone who could know anything?"

"We could find Waluigi," he suggested. "He must know something."

"That means going back into the city to find that tunnel, and I'm not going back into the city," Wario almost laughed, watching Dry Bones with amusement at such a ridiculous idea. "I'm not dying."

"Hey, you two!" Fox shouted. "Hurry up!"

The pair glanced up. Everyone was at the tunnel staring at them, and they were still a fair distance away. They restarted jogging out of obligation. Before they got within earshot of the others, Dry Bones said, "Think it over."

"We thought you two got lost," Kirby giggled. "You can't fall behind like that! We have to stick together!"

"We can't separate when we're so close," Mario agreed. "And we can't waste too much time."

"That ship isn't firing anything anytime soon," said Wario annoyed.

Mario's expression darkened. Wario immediately dropped his annoyed expression; he rarely saw that in Mario, and he knew it meant it was going to get serious.

"I've been keeping this from most of you," Mario said. "In the note Waluigi gave me, he described the enemy's plan of attack. They would attack all five realms at once. That means that the Legend of Zelda realm has been under attack as early as we have. They may have already fallen."

The group stared at him in shock. Wario stepped forward, suddenly furious. Another lie. "So this 'safety' you're leading us toward might not even be safe? It might already have been destroyed?"

Mario simply nodded. Despite Wario's rage, he kept a calm expression, if only to make his next point more poignant: "That is the risk I took when I led us toward the Dreamland realm. We would be in Rebellion by now if I had decided to go there instead. I wanted to make sure everyone else was safe first, and to take them to Rebellion as well."

"But it's gone?"

"We can't know for sure. We won't know until we see it ourselves."

"But it could be gone? You could be leading us to our deaths?"

"Wario-" Peach began, but Mario quickly interjected.

"I could, I admit it. I can only hope that Rebellion is safe and the Legend of Zelda is winning their war. There are so many things that could lead to our deaths, but it is something we have to risk. I wanted to - while we had this brief moment of peace – warn you all of the potential danger. I'm as concerned as you are."

There was a moment of pause, but Luigi stepped forward with a façade of confidence. "I'm not worried, bro. I trust you with my life."

"The Legend of Zelda realm won't fall so easily," Metaknight added. "Link has been preparing for this for years. He is far more cautious than us."

"Not surprising, considering where he lives," Krystal said with an air of condescension. "He never trusted technology."

"Link?" Yoshi repeated. "We'll be seeing him again?"

"If all goes well, yes," Mario answered. He looked around at the others. "Are we all ready?"

The decision was unanimous amongst the vocal. They traveled through the tunnel, all of their fears assuaged by the aura surrounding them. They walked fast; there was an air of urgency that they were all feeling. There was also a tinge of sadness, as if this was a final goodbye, as if the tunnel itself seemed to know what its fate would soon become.

When they emerged on the other side, they were taken aback by the darkness in the sky. It was midday in Corneria, and they were under the assumption that all of the realms operated on the same timescale, yet the skies were covered by a foreboding mix of black and red clouds. The sun had disappeared behind them, casting the ground in shadow.

The tunnel opened into a large cavern with an open ceiling. A railway had been built along the floor of the cavern from the mouth of the tunnel to a branching path to the west. There was a single exit to the outside, and that was a small wooden door wedged awkwardly in the wall on the far side of the cave. They barely paid it any attention, as their attention was focused on either the sky or the large trolley sitting on the railway.

The trolley was clearly out of place; it was shining and new, made entirely of metal. Princess Peach's face was painted on both sides, while the insignia of the Mushroom Kingdom was painted on the front and back. On top was a large searchlight that at the moment was turned off. Peach made a motion to turn the searchlight on, but Mario stopped her.

"The path isn't finished," he reminded her. Her eyes widened in realization and she hastily whispered an apology, while he turned to the others. "I mean the railway is finished; the trolley will take us to the Legend of Zelda tunnel. But this is built into a mountain range, and some sections aren't fully covered by rock. We can't turn the searchlight on, because we'd call attention to ourselves."

"You're sure this leads to the tunnel?" Metaknight asked, analyzing the wheels intently.

"We've tested it ourselves multiple times," Mario confirmed.

At that, Yoshi leapt onto the trolley and held out his hand for Birdo. "That's enough for me." He gave Mario a reassuring smile as Birdo climbed aboard.

The others soon followed, and once everyone was on the trolley Mario pulled a lever on the side of the tracks. The trolley's brakes were released, and Mario quickly hopped aboard and pressed a single button at the front. An engine started to putter, and the trolley slowly began to accelerate.

As the trolley moved through the branching tunnel, it passed several torches that hadn't been lit in ages; their smoldering ashes barely emitting a glow. That, along with the darkness above, left the group in near darkness. With nothing to look at, they simply stared at each other in silence, listening to the rumbling of the rails echoing off the walls. Peach tried her best to get the others to smile, but unfortunately very few were in the mood. Most of them were taking this time to think on everything they'd been through.

Then the tunnel opened, and the trolley entered open air for the first time. Those looking at Peach's Castle in the distance stared in shock, forcing the others to turn around. As soon as they got a good look, they went back into the mountain and the view disappeared behind rock.

"What was that?" Falco gasped, his hand going automatically to his blaster. "What was that flying in the sky? I wasn't seeing things, was I?"

"I saw what you did," King Dedede muttered. "That was a flying castle hovering over that city."

Toad had restarted crying. "That was Bowser!" He gulped. "That was Bowser's Castle!"

Peach looked to Mario for confirmation, and having given it a good look Mario confirmed her worst fears. She stifled cries. "But why would he return now?"

"He's been gone for years," Luigi shuddered. "And he chooses now to come back?"

"I'm sure it's a coincidence," Wario muttered bitterly.

Hammer Bro and Dry Bones glanced at each other nervously. The only reason the two of them were here was because Bowser had disappeared nearly two years ago. His minions had separated and formed their own villages, finally free of Bowser's terrifying influence. They'd lived in peace and quiet, and they'd enjoyed their new lives, hoping that he would never return.

"They released him," Mario answered, revealing another tidbit of knowledge that caused the others to look toward him for help. But he remained silent, glaring at the sky with an anger that he hadn't experienced in a long time.

All eyes were on the castles now. As the trolley exited another mountain, they all got a clear view of Bowser's Castle was on a disk hovering directly over Peach's Castle. Long chains were being lowered around the base of the disk, and figures were attaching the chains to the castle below. Bowser's Castle began to descend, crushing Peach's Castle's towers under its weight. The view disappeared.

"He's destroying my castle!" Peach cried, and Mario immediately went to her side. "That monster! How could he do such a thing?"

"Why is he doing that?" Kirby asked. "Why would Bowser do something so horrible?"

Wario looked at Kirby strangely. "Because it's Bowser. He doesn't case who gets in his way so long as he gets his way." He eyes lit up in admiration. "Honestly, he probably returned because he found the winning side."

"Hey, shut the hell up," Falco pointed at him sternly. "If you like him so much, join him."

"Bowser isn't horrible!" Kirby cried. "He's just misunderstood! We're friends!"

"Kirby," Peach whispered. "It's been a long time since you saw Bowser. He changed…"

"Hey, Mario," Hammer Bro suddenly remembered a pair of keys he'd been given so long ago. "Bowser got released? Was he in prison?" Mario nodded. "Was he in Peach's Castle the whole time?"

Mario shook his head again, looking at him curiously. "Why would you assume that?"

"Toadsworth gave me a key ring and asked me to release the prisoners during the attack," Hammer Bro answered. "Bowser wasn't one of them?"

He shook his head again. "He wasn't." Then realization struck. "Oh no… he's going to release the prisoners."

"But we spent so long…" Peach gasped. "All of that work was for nothing?"

"Are they people we should be worried about?" Fox asked seriously.

Mario hesitated. The answer was complicated. The people locked in the castle dungeons didn't know about the tunnels, so once they had left the realm they would never see them again. "No, they aren't."

"Then don't," Fox decided, leaning back into his seat. "Whatever happens here, even if it must hurt to abandon it, it won't affect us anymore."

With Fox's sobering words in their mind, the group sat in silence for the remainder of the ride. They strained for any second they were in open air, watching as Peach's Castle was crushed by the castle above. By the time the rails passed through the final mountain, the once magnificent castle that stood over the kingdom was a pile of rubble being crushed aside while a more sinister castle took its place. When the trolley stopped at the mouth of the Legend of Zelda tunnel, Bowser's Castle had landed. The entrance was in the shape of Bowser's head, and a drawbridge had extended from the Koopa King's mouth releasing hundreds of figures out into the world.

The group exited the trolley staring at this terrifying scene. Many of the Kingdom's residents were in tears. Mario had to stifle his as he pulled a second lever which reversed the trolley and sent it toward its original position. He comforted Peach the best he could.

They didn't spend long at the mouth of the tunnel. They reasoned that their desperation and depression would be suppressed by its aura, and that was exactly what happened. The feelings wouldn't disappear, but they were able to manage their emotions and push through the pain.

As the approached the tunnel's exit, they felt a warning of a dangerous presence on the other side. The Star Fox trio drew their blasters and ran ahead, moving from the tunnel exit to some nearby boulders. They held out their hands, causing the group to pause and wait. They whispered to each other, and then motioned for the group to follow. They did so cautiously, keeping their head bowed.

"I can't see or hear any soldiers," Fox grumbled, glancing at the top of the volcano. "The volcano's rumbling."

"Is it going to erupt?" Kirby asked worriedly.

"None of us know," said Falco dismissively. "It just means we can't get the jump on whoever is down that path."

Mario made a motion to glance over the side, but Krystal leaned forward and pushed him away from the edge. She shook her head sternly. "That could give away our position. Stay away from the edge."

"Let's move," Fox said quietly. "Stay behind us. Run if you see anyone."

"Why can't we just stay here?" Wario seethed.

"We're sticking together," replied Fox. "Stay really far behind us, just in case."

The three of them started down the path. They were halfway down before they motioned for the others to follow, and slowly the group descended the mountain. They turned several times as the path weaved around the mountainside. The Hyrule landscape was desolate; the lake to the south looked dark and murky, and the forests to the east had been devastated by deforestation. The large field in the center went on for miles, the majority of it deserted despite the large wooden structures dotted around. Worst of all, near the lake, were the sounds of war echoing over the horizon. Large masses of dots were converging on the field and slowly breaking through the lines of rocks built in sections around the field.

"The realm is under attack," Mario confirmed, staring out over the mountain.

"They haven't broken through its defenses," noted Yoshi.

"We still have a chance," Birdo sighed in relief. "We can still make it to safety."

"The bulk of the army hasn't reached us," said Metaknight. "That does not mean that a few haven't pushed past the front lines."

"Or that they came from where we just came," added King Dedede. "That tunnel was out in the open; anyone searching could've easily found it."

Peach shook her head and motioned behind them. "The path to this tunnel requires traveling for the majority of a day through thick woods. The soldiers wouldn't have enough time to reach here."

Falco ran up to the group and moved his hand across his throat. "Everyone quiet," he hissed. "Your voices carry up here. They'll hear you over that rumbling."

"Sorry," Peach dropped her voice to a whisper. "We didn't know."

Birdo walked up to him. "We were talking about where the soldiers came from."

"Wonderful," Falco said disinterestedly, already turning back. "Save it for later."

Falco took a step away from them, saw something in the distance, and reacted instantly. He hissed, "Get down!" and dove aside.

Fox and Krystal had heard the soldiers congregating around the side of the volcano and had hidden behind an extended rock. They'd made a mistake, however, and knocked the rock out of place by shoving against it so suddenly. The rock rolled, getting the attention of the five soldiers. The soldiers immediately ran around the corner, expecting only a few people. They saw the group of nearly twenty and froze.

The attention of the soldiers in that moment was focused solely on the large group farther up the path. Fox and Krystal took that moment to strike, firing. Two went down immediately, their faces burning, but the other three opened fire. But instead of firing at the two foxes attacking them, they fired on the targets they misinterpreted as hostiles.

Falco's warning caused the group to dive aside, and bullets ricocheted wildly across the path. It was only for a fraction of a second, but that brief moment of danger forced Fox and Krystal to react. Instead of firing, they launched themselves off the rock and charged the soldiers from the side. The three soldiers collided into each other and were pushed off of the volcano, screaming in panic with their fingers on the trigger until they crashed to the ground below.

It was over as quickly as it began. Krystal picked Fox up off the ground, and Fox reacted by thanking her and firing another blast into the two fallen soldiers' heads to ensure they were dead. Above, the group was getting to their feet and brushing themselves off.

"Is everybody okay?" Mario asked, looking at everyone carefully. And then his eyes fell on the person who hadn't gotten up. "…No…"

Yoshi shouted in horror and ran to the body. He lifted her head up and rubbed her cheek, trying to find life in her lifeless eyes. "Birdo… why?"

Birdo hadn't gotten out of the way in time. She could barely react to Falco's warning before the soldiers fired, and being the closest with no way to escape, she was their target. She lay lifeless in Yoshi's arms, her empty eyes staring at the sky.

"Darn it… we were so close," Yoshi spat through gritted teeth. He lifted his head and shouted at the foxes below. "You were supposed to protect us! You couldn't!"

"Yoshi, please," Peach whispered cautiously.

But Yoshi ignored her. He got to his feet and rounded on Falco, who up to this point had been staring at the pair with regret. When Yoshi glared at him, he blinked in surprise before narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"And you…" Yoshi spat. "You were right next to her! You could've grabbed her! Pushed her! Blocked the bullets for her! Anything!"

"I barely had time to think," Falco replied, his regret dissipating with every word that came out of Yoshi's mouth. "I didn't know her enough to react instantly by protecting her or sacrificing my life for her. I was focusing on-" Yoshi threw a punch, which Falco dodged swiftly.

"Enough!" Mario shouted, immediately running up to them and pushing Yoshi away. Before Yoshi could argue, Mario pulled him into a hug. His voice softened. "Yoshi… I'm so sorry."

"She did nothing wrong," Yoshi cried. "She was innocent!"

"I know," Mario whispered, tightening his hug with his best friend. "She's… in a better place…"

"The bastards who killed her are dead," Falco muttered, turning back down the mountain. "At least you can take solace in that."

"We should take her with us," said Yoshi, looking to the rest of the group. "I know it's a lot, but we're so close."

King Dedede glanced at Toadette in his arms. He could barely hold her and his hammer. He shook his head guiltily.

"Wario, can you help?" Mario asked. Nobody else had the strength to carry Birdo. There was silence in response.

"Wait, where's Wario?" Daisy asked, looking around. "Where's Dry Bones?"

That was when the group noticed that the pair had disappeared. Mario panicked and looked down the edge of the cliff, hoping he wasn't able to see a yellow spot on the ground. Metaknight walked up to him and pulled him away.

"He ran away," he answered. Mario stared at him in confusion. "When the soldiers began to fire, he and Dry Bones ran back up the volcano." He pointed at a spot in the distance, and looking closely Mario could see the yellow dot moving back to the tunnel.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Mario asked.

"He annoyed me," Metaknight replied nonchalantly. "His incessant questions and constant anger were frustrating. I'm assuming he's returning to his home."

"But…" Mario simply stared. He couldn't believe Wario would just leave like that, or that Metaknight would just let him go. "We aren't supposed to let people go like that, Metaknight. We're supposed to protect them."

"I would not be able to stop him," said Metaknight. "I was focused on protecting myself and my own. I wasn't concerned with him."

Hammer Bro stepped up to the pair. "Dry Bones went with him. They may be going to Bowser."

"If they do that, then I have a right to stop them," said Metaknight, unsheathing Galaxia. "They would tell him vital information."

"No, no!" Mario said suddenly, placing a firm hand on Metaknight, making sure he didn't move. "Don't hurt him. Please, let him… let him go…"

"Mario," Metaknight said slowly. "If I do what you say, and if Wario goes to Bowser with information, and if we're hurt in any way by it…"

"Wario doesn't know anything," Hammer Bro argued. "His constant questions should've pointed you to that."

"He may be annoying and short-tempered," added Luigi. "But he's harmless. He's just going to go home."

"What of Dry Bones?" Metaknight asked.

Nobody could answer him. They didn't know him well enough to make a good judgment. Metaknight stared at each of them in turn, noting the panic and fear in their eyes. He relaxed his grip on his sword and closed his eyes in frustration.

"I'll let them go," he said, and Mario sighed in relief and released his grip. "If this harms us, Mario, it will be on you."

"It won't," Mario promised thankfully. He knew Wario and Dry Bones could take care of themselves, and he wished they hadn't left so suddenly, but them going on their own path was a much better outcome than Metaknight chasing after them and killing them. The fact that Metaknight went so quick to that conclusion certainly frightened much of the group, but the moment the sword was put away, the tension disappeared.

"Luigi, could you help me," Mario asked, walking up to Birdo and lifting her up by the shoulder. Luigi hastily walked over, but Yoshi took Birdo's other shoulder.

Yoshi gave Luigi a sad smile. "Thanks, but I can take care of it."

Luigi nodded and went back to Toad, who was leaning painfully on the rock. Toad held out his hand and gripped Luigi's shoulder, leaning on him for support.

"You ready?" Luigi asked him, trying to smile hopefully. Toad could only stare at Toadette. He didn't respond.

"We're almost there," said King Dedede, mirroring Luigi's smile. "It won't be long before she's resting peacefully."

"He's right," said Mario, trying to inspire some confidence in the group. "We're almost there. We'll be safe soon."


	9. Chapter 8

Mario

Luigi

Peach

Daisy

Yoshi

Toad

Hammer Bro

Kirby

Metaknight

King Dedede

Bandana Dee

Fox

Falco

Krystal

* * *

"Thousands of soldiers surrounded me as I crossed the lake," Waluigi concluded. "We breached the first wall, but the second wall had enough of a gap to allow us to pass through. I separated from the men I was supposed to work with and that was when I was captured."

Link stared at him with judging eyes, his brow furrowed as he considered Waluigi's story thoughtfully. He gave no indication whether he believed it; he didn't turn to the others for guidance. He stared only at Waluigi, and with no other hope Waluigi stared at him.

Finally Link stood up. "And you are sure it was Ganondorf you saw."

Waluigi nodded. "There was no mistaking it. I recognized him instantly from the last time all of us gathered."

That got a nostalgic smile out of Link. "It has been far too long. Forgive me if I've forgotten you. We didn't speak."

"You believe him then, Link?" Darunia leaned forward. His suspicious glare had never wavered.

"I have no choice," Link chuckled. "It gives me the one hope I have that Mario is still alive."

"But if his story is true, then we have no chance of stopping them," Ruto added, her initial stern expression softening as Waluigi told his tale. "Their numbers are too great, and they have already broken through our initial defenses."

"We never had a chance of stopping them alone," said Zelda from her throne. "We only need to keep this castle and Rebellion safe."

"Aye, but we won't be able to do that much longer with an enemy that fierce right outside," Darunia grumbled. "And they have Ganondorf on their side. He cleaved through my Gorons like they were nothing. We can't stop that!"

"I should go to the Mushroom Kingdom," Link turned to Zelda for approval. "I need to speak with Mario."

"If the Mushroom Kingdom is being attacked like this place is," Waluigi said, wincing from the very idea. "There won't be anything left."

"Mario never was one for war," Zelda nodded. "It isn't safe for you to travel alone."

"Then to the Pikmin realm," Link offered. "The Xenoblade realm. I need to go… somewhere! We need to gather!"

Zelda considered the offer. She gave a slow nod. Link held out a hand and helped Waluigi to his feet.

"What…" Waluigi asked awkwardly. "What should I do?"

"Wait here," Zelda answered. "Wait for Mario. Should he arrive, he will confirm your story. Until then, you will rest in the dungeon."

Waluigi's stomach dropped. He opened his mouth to argue, but his eyes fell on Darunia. The intense glare he was receiving made his argument die in his throat. He dropped his gaze and nodded.

"We will treat you well," said Link, giving him a reassuring smile. "As thanks for risking your life for this information."

As Link prepared to take Waluigi away, a Hylian soldier ran into the room breathing heavily. All eyes turned to him as he tried to recover from his sprint.

"Mario… here…" the Hylian soldier managed to gasp. "…to see… Link…"

Link looked from Zelda to Waluigi. "Wait here," he commanded, and he ran from the room. The Hylian soldier groaned and followed him.

Darunia smirked. "The moment of truth is here, human. Are you prepared for your judgment?"

Waluigi didn't comment. He knew his story was the truth. He hadn't embellished, hadn't lied; he told them everything he knew. Mario would recognize him, and he would be free.

When Link finally reentered the room, he did so side-by-side with Mario. Mario looked exhausted and terrified, his eyes darting around the room as if looking for hidden threats. Waluigi stared at his friend with shock; he'd never seen the man so terrified. Mario's eyes fell on Waluigi, and they immediately began to water.

"Waluigi…" Mario whispered. "You're alive!" He ran up to him and brought him in for a hug.

Waluigi bit back tears. The one moment of friendship was enough to make all of his hardships worth it. Those many hours filled with terror were behind him. His friends had made it. They were all safe.

"Where are the others?" Waluigi asked, looking behind Mario. "You're alone?"

Mario shook his head. "The others are coming." He looked at Link, barely managing a smile. "Link was so excited to see me, he ran ahead with me."

"Waluigi here had arrived not an hour ago," Link explained. "His story was horrifying. We had no idea the strength of the army. We are barely managing to hold them off."

"You were smart," Mario dropped his gaze guiltily. "You have been planning for this for years. The rest of us… we didn't."

Link nodded understandingly. Indeed, he and Zelda had spent countless months forging alliances with all of the notable species in Hyrule, combining their strength against this common enemy. He didn't want to let Mario know that all of his efforts were pointless.

"Who else made it?" Waluigi asked. He looked at Zelda. "Can I see them?"

Zelda looked taken aback at being asked. She looked from him to Mario and nodded. Waluigi broke off and ran out the door, racing for the others.

"We've lost so much," Mario sighed. "The army destroyed the Mushroom Kingdom so quickly. They followed us to Dreamland and to Star Fox, and we lost many of our group."

They shared a moment of silence for the fallen, and then Link inquired: "You were able to find Metaknight and Krystal?"

"They're with us," Mario answered. He hesitated. "Did you feel the tunnel dying?"

Link nodded bitterly. "How did it happen?"

Mario explained the large ship floating in the sky in the Star Fox realm, from the way it took out Slippy's Arwing to the blast that devastated the landscape. The more detail he gave, the more horrified the four looked.

"I can't believe they found out how to destroy tunnels," Link whispered in shock.

"I forgot they could be destroyed," Mario admitted. It had been so long since they all had felt that pain. "It's a painful reminder."

Zelda stepped down from her throne, joining the pair. "Are you still intending on traveling to the other realms?" She turned to Link.

Link hesitated. "I may… want to know what he thinks."

Mario knew Link wasn't talking about himself. Zelda understood as well, and she nodded approvingly. "Join them," she said. "I will hold this castle until you return."

Link bowed gracefully, placing his hand on her own. "I promise to return." He looked up at her. "But your life is worth more than the castle."

"I know," Zelda replied, smiling affectionately. "Darunia will protect us."

Darunia chuckled, punching his chest. "Do not worry your little head, Link. No one will lay a hand on our princesses."

"Do not forget that we can take care of ourselves," Ruto giggled. She gave Link a small wave from her seat. "Be safe, Link, wherever you go."

"Of course, Ruto," Link bowed to her and Darunia as well, and then he turned to Mario. "Let's go."

* * *

The two of them rejoined the others in the main hall. Everyone had rejoiced at Waluigi's return, although the two fallen friends that they were carrying had certainly unnerved him. He groaned in frustration when he was told of Wario and Dry Bones, and he grew more horrified as he heard more of the group's struggles.

"Link," Metaknight nodded respectfully once the pair entered the room.

Krystal turned instantly, grinning brightly. "Link!" She cheered. "It's great to see you!"

Link smiled, surprised by the warm welcome from her. "Same to you, Krystal. It's been far too long." He nodded to Metaknight. "Of course, Metaknight."

"Are you joining us?" asked Metaknight.

Link nodded. "Are we all ready?" Mario asked, placing a hand on Waluigi's shoulder. He still couldn't believe Waluigi was alive. He had to make sure he wasn't an illusion.

"Are we going to Rebellion?" Luigi asked.

"We are," answered Mario. "We're finally getting to safety."

* * *

With Waluigi and Link joining them, the group moved out of the town and toward the north. There was a thicket that covered the northern edge of Hyrule Field, but Link knew of a thin path that went through the brush. He pushed aside a few bushes, revealing the path clear of obstacles. The thicket itself was strangely quiet and dark for how clear the sky was; it was as if they had passed through a veil. Their conversation stopped the moment they passed, and they admired the strange mysterious beauty of the forest.

The path was straight and clear, and after several minutes of walking in silence, they reached the edge of the forest; a small path that led across the edge of the rock wall surrounding the entire field. Link led them to the right for a bit, and then stopped. There was nothing extraordinary about this particular patch of rock, but Link scanned the wall intently.

Metaknight was the one to find the source of interest first. He jumped up and tapped a bit of rock that was imperceptivity darker than the surrounding rock. At once, the sound of rock crumbling against rock startled most of the group, and they stared in surprise as the rock started to lower into the ground. The tunnel's entrance was revealed, and Link led the group inside.

"How is anyone supposed to find that?" Falco asked as he passed through the rock. "No one can?"

"That's the point," answered Krystal. "This realm is supposed to be a secret."

Falco snorted. "That right? Why?"

"Save your questions for the moment," Mario advised. "You'll be able to have them all answered in just a bit."

There wasn't the familiar blue aura they were used to; they almost didn't believe they were actually traveling through a tunnel. They walked in eerie silence, the only sounds being the echoing of faint sounds coming from an unseen exit. Their footsteps didn't echo on the rock, and their voices seemed caught in their throat. They had no reassuring voices in their minds telling them to push onward; they were strangely alone in their thoughts.

As they traveled, the sounds grew louder and louder. The light at the end shined brighter and brighter. They felt excitement growing as they approached the mysterious Rebellion, the safe haven they were promised. They couldn't help but walk faster, fueled by their desire to escape the terrifying chaos behind them and embrace their newfound hope in the land before them.

They emerged in Rebellion. Guns were pointed at them in all directions the moment they left the tunnel. The human men behind them stared at them intensely for a few moments, their fingers on the triggers of their assault rifles. The group drew their weapons, ready for a fight. And then as quickly as the guns were raised, they were lowered.

"They're here," a man muttered into a radio clipped onto his shoulder. He gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. Precautions."

"Of course," Mario nodded. He quickly moved past the men, forgetting about the guards posted at the entrance. He hoped the others would put it past them as well, but he turned around and saw that the majority of them had remained behind, their weapons still raised. "Everyone?"

Krystal turned around as well and placed hands on her hips, staring at her friends with disappointment. "Honestly, guys, I told you about them!"

"They're soldiers," Falco muttered, his eyes darting to each in turn. "They're enemy soldiers."

"They're allies," Krystal corrected. "Now come on!"

Fox and Falco took one look at each other, and then to Krystal. They holstered their weapons and pushed past the soldiers, and the others followed.

Twenty soldiers were posted around the entrance to the tunnel; twenty full-bodied men in camouflage gear and carrying assault rifles. Twenty men who were identical to men in the enemy army. All of them had the same apologetic smile as the soldier on the radio. They stared at the group as they left, and once they were far enough away their attention was focused entirely on the tunnel.

Turning around, they saw that the tunnel had been built into the side of a cliff that extended several hundred feet. The base of the tunnel had been filled with concrete, and sandbag barriers had been erected in several rows around the entrance. A few jeeps were parked just past the sandbags, and a chain-link fence surrounded everything.

Looking ahead, they saw rolling green hills sprawling as far as they could see. A large city was the single sign of civilization, a square of various sized houses with a house in the center that towered above them all. The entrance was only a mile away, so they could tell that all of the houses were mismatched and seemed to have been snatched from other places. A mushroom house from the Mushroom Kingdom was a neighbor to a futuristic chrome block house from a realm that most had never seen before, and that was a neighbor to a house made out of a large wooden barrel.

But once the group got a good look at their next destination, their view turned to the sky above. They had taken for granted that the sun shining above and the sky would be a pleasant blue, but they could not have been more wrong. There was no sun. There didn't seem to be a sky. The world above was pure white. Nothingness. The more they stared, the more disturbed they became.

"What… is that brother?" Luigi whispered, mesmerized by the sight.

"It looks unfinished," King Dedede grimaced. Nothing Metaknight had described could have prepared him for this sight. "It looks terrible."

"Why's there no sun?" Fox asked. He got a silent shrug from Krystal in response.

Even Peach, who had heard so much about Rebellion from Mario, was unnerved. She latched onto his shoulder and whispered into his ear: "Mario, are you sure this is our new home?"

Mario winced out of guilt, feeling responsible for his friends' collection fear and disappointment. "This is," he said, mustering his confidence. "We're safe here, Peach."

"We might be safe because nobody wants to live here," said Falco, taking a confused glance at the strange assortment of houses. "Who… even lives here?"

"Everyone," answered Metaknight.

They entered the city. The moment they did, doors flew open, and creatures from all of the houses began to flood the streets. From Goombas to Toads to Piantas to Knuckle Joes to Waddle Dees to Cappys to Foxes to Dogs to Cats to Hylians to Gorons to Zoras to Pokémon to Trainers to Monkeys to Kremlings to Police Officers to Musicians to Dalaamans to Swordsmen to Archers to Knights to Racers to Spectators to Adepts to Fighters to Angels to Humans to Monoeyes to Boxers to Pikmin to Bulborbs to Hocotatians to Homs to Nopons to High Entia. Hundreds upon hundreds of the residents of the collective realms flooded the streets to welcome the new visitors, creating a joyous uproar. The group was separated by the crowd, having their hands shaken and their hair ruffled and their clothes admired and their ears filled with cheers and congratulations on having reached safety.

They fought desperately to escape the crowd, but so many of them were lost. Mario managed to push past them all, and he leapt onto the steps of the large central house. Some members of the crowd chased after him, but he shouted at them to halt, and as if compelled to listen these few obeyed and fell silent.

"EVERYONE!" Mario shouted at the top of his lungs. "LET MY FRIENDS GO!"

Although many didn't hear him initially, word spread. The crowd gradually fell silent and motionless, and members of his group made their way out of the mob that surrounded them. All of them were panicked, and Mario himself was unnerved at the almost volatile reaction of the city's residents. They scrambled up the steps to join him. He scanned the crowd until he counted all sixteen of his group had joined him.

When they finally escaped, Mario shouted again, this time filled with rage: "HOW DARE YOU WELCOME NEW RESIDENTS LIKE THAT? HOW DARE YOU SMOTHER THEM AND SUFFOCATE THEM? YOU ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS PLACE IS, AND WHAT IS MEANS! ACT LIKE YOU RESPECT OTHERS!"

He turned and wrenched the large wooden doors open and stormed inside. After a moment of surprise at hearing Mario's anger and another at gauging the crowd's reaction, the others followed him. The crowd's emotions were mixed; some of the more easily swayed were shameful, while others couldn't have cared less; some of the more prideful were insulted and scoffed at the suggestion, while others understood what could have forced a Realm Representative to shout at them. The crowd stood whispering amongst themselves before returning to their houses to welcome the next guests.

From the outside, the house was ordinary. It was large rectangle with a small extension in its back, and it covered a significant portion of the city, but it was pure white with few windows dotted around; it nearly blended with the sky. Inside, it was extravagant; beautiful paintings of various landscapes were hung on the walls, ornate carpeting was spread throughout most of the house, walls were painted various colors and each room seemed to be a different mix of colors.

The front entrance led to a long hallway that led into the center of the house. Halls extended around the perimeter of the house leading to the ten small thin outer rooms. The center of the house was as white as the outside, only it was tiled from floor to ceiling. The black cracks in the tile met up perfectly, giving the room the appearance of being separated into hundreds of tiny pieces. Five doors were placed along the walls of the room, each leading to one of the five large rooms that were several times larger than the outer rooms. All of the rooms, except the center room, were sleeping quarters. In the center of the central room was a large circular wooden table with sixteen wooden chairs placed equidistant from each other. Sixteen names to match the seats were etched into the table, and in the center was a fairly detailed map of sixteen realms. Rebellion was scribbled to the side as if an afterthought.

As the group explored the house, the dissonance did not go unnoticed. Not a single room matched; a room painted shades of blue was right next to a room painted black and white which was next to a room painted dull oranges and browns. The wooden table completely contrasted with the white, modern room; the carpet patterns were different in every room and every hall. Nothing about this building worked as a whole, and it made the group uneasy.

When the group gathered in the center, they noticed that the four Realm Representatives had taken seats at the table. They were the only ones who did not explore.

"Why're you sitting down?" asked King Dedede, shifting Toadette's weight. He still hated that he was holding onto her, but they hadn't had a good place to set her to rest. Yoshi was still carrying Birdo's body, struggling alone. "Can we… you know… bury the dead?"

"You may do so," Metaknight answered. "We will wait here."

"But we want our questions answered," Bandana Dee grumbled. "I don't want to leave until we know everything!"

"We will be here forever," said Link, smiling at him. "None of us knows everything."

"Then why are we here?" Yoshi demanded, gritting his teeth.

"We need to hear what he says," said Mario, turning to his best friend. "He will reveal himself soon."

"You guys are acting like a cult," Falco noted. "It's making me uneasy…"

"Trust us, Falco," said Krystal reassuringly. "It won't be long now."

The moment she finished speaking, the front doors opened. Their heads whipped toward the entrance, and four of them got to their feet. In all of his glory, the massive glove known as Master Hand floated heavily through the door. He stopped for a moment, his invisible eyes scanning the room and noticing the new visitors, and then floated through the hall. He came to a stop just inside the room, his fingers waving slowly in the air.

"Well," Master Hand's deep mysterious voice boomed through the room. "You've arrived."

The four sat back down, all of them awaiting Master Hand's word. Master Hand floated around the room above the heads of the group before taking his place at the very back.

"Please sit," Master Hand offered. "I'm sure we have much to discuss."

The others took random seats around the table. Many of them peered at the names in front of them, some familiar some unknown. Yoshi remained standing, however, choosing to lean against the table. Master Hand took notice.

"Oh," he said sadly. "Please, if you wish to bury her, we will wait."

Yoshi looked at Birdo, and then at the others. "No…" he grunted, struggling into his seat. "Continue."

"We could have other Yoshis come gather her," Master Hand suggested. "Other Toads could gather Toadette as well. They would have proper burials, and they would wait until we're finished here."

Yoshi suddenly looked tired and defeated. He gave a slow nod, and he set Birdo down. Master Hand snapped himself, and a few moments later a half-dozen various-colored Yoshis ran into the room, took Birdo, lifted her above them, and left the room. Yoshi stared at her with empty eyes.

"Toad?" Master Hand asked carefully, turning slightly to him. "Would you like the same?"

"Sure," said Toad, as if he had asked him if he'd like food. There was a mixture of emotions in Toad's eyes, from pain to rage to sadness. He was debating blaming Master Hand for all of his problems or hoping Master Hand could comfort him.

A few minutes later, Toadette had been carried out of the building, and everyone was in their seats. Master Hand floated in silence, debating how to begin. The group was looking at him for guidance, for answers, and even he wasn't sure he could provide them all.

"I suppose it would be best to introduce myself," Master Hand began. "I am Master Hand, the Realm Representative of Rebellion. This is my home, although I am not here often. I go throughout the realm helping residents with their problems and keeping the peace. To be honest, I dislike this house; it completely misrepresents the unity of separate communities. It is chaotic and unpleasant, and frankly I could not sleep comfortably, not that I sleep much at all."

Master Hand was about to chuckle, but he stopped himself. He saw the tiredness, the desperation, the emptiness in all of these eyes before him, and he knew instantly that making light of the situation would be the wrong impression. He understood the horrors that they must have faced.

"I apologize," he backtracked. "I know that you would not have gathered here if the situation was not horrible. I do not wish for you to go into details. I know you all have many, many questions. Please, do not hesitate."

But they did hesitate. Nobody knew where to begin, and they looked to others for help. Several of them wished Wario was still with them; he would have barraged Master Hand with too many questions. Mario looked at the others, at this group of people who had faced tragedies, who had lost so much, who had nothing to do with each other yet were all part of the same group. He needed something to bond them together. Then he looked at his name, and the question instantly formed in his mind.

He raised his hand, but he didn't wait to be called. "Master Hand, I noticed there are sixteen names on this table." Master Hand looked to him curiously, yet he did not comment. Mario continued, pointing at the name in front of Daisy, a name that nobody at the table could have recognized. "There is a Master at this table, but it is not your name. Who is he?"

Master Hand understood immediately. "There are seventeen realms in this universe, yet there are only sixteen seats at this table. The names before you are the names of the sixteen Realm Representatives who were made initially. My name is not amongst them, because Rebellion is not represented. Rather, the realm the enemy comes from – Final Destination – is represented."

Suddenly the group all stared at this one name. Daisy couldn't help but feel the glares were directed at her instead, and she winced, keeping her gaze at the name. It was a Master, but it wasn't Master Hand.

"The Realm Representative of the Final Destination realm," Master Hand continued. "The Commander of the army, and our ultimate enemy, is Master Chief."


	10. Chapter 9

Mario

Luigi

Peach

Daisy

Yoshi

Toad

Hammer Bro

Kirby

Metaknight

King Dedede

Bandana Dee

Fox

Falco

Krystal

Link

Waluigi

* * *

He looked out the windows overlooking the northern half of the Final Destination realm. He tapped his foot impatiently, listening to the metallic boot cracking the stone floor and feeling a slight satisfaction. It was already midday, and he hadn't received a single report since he had sent his generals out to command the attack. He had already received word that one preemptive strike had been thwarted by a spy, and another had failed because the tunnel had been destroyed months ago.

He wasn't expecting a successful report immediately. The realms were all strong, and it was fifteen against one. Or was it sixteen? He counted in his head, wondering why the numbers weren't adding up.

"Rebellion," Master Chief muttered, nodding to himself. The secret realm. The realm whose location was known to all of the Realm Representatives but himself. The very name… he didn't "represent" this place any more than he belonged here. This wasn't his home like the other realms were to the others. He was a stranger.

"Did you say something, Chief?" A small device was on his desk, a device that projected a hologram of a blue woman. The woman, Cortana, was looking at Master Chief curiously.

"It was nothing, Cortana," Master Chief replied. He didn't want to explain himself. He had developed the unfortunate habit of voicing his thoughts out loud. A consequence of being forced to keep Cortana hidden from prying eyes. He only had her out now because he hadn't heard anything in hours.

"I see," Cortana said, tilting her head suspiciously. She looked up at the sky and smiled. "It's a beautiful day, at least. It should mean a good omen."

Master Chief looked up absentmindedly. He rarely noticed beauty in the world. He only saw the soldiers and the war. "How long does it take to report back from the front lines?"

"Is that what you're worried about?" Cortana almost laughed. "It's not like you to worry."

"I'm showing my hand," said Master Chief. "If this fails, and they counter-attack, all of this planning will be for nothing."

"It will work," Cortana promised, smiling. "You've done a great job leading these men. You're their Commander; you inspire them."

"Inspiration doesn't mean much on the battlefield," Master Chief replied, knowing all too well. As he spoke, his hand tapped the pistol holstered in a slot in his armor. "And it means nothing to these soldiers."

Cortana's smile dropped as she understood what Master Chief was implying. "Just because these men are… what they are, does that mean they can't feel inspiration?" She asked, drawing her hand to her chest. "I… I'm constantly inspired by you."

Master Chief turned to her, smiling under his helmet. He never tired of talking to Cortana, despite her being an AI program; she could never feel what he could, what other humans could, but she understood him better than anyone else. He didn't need the encouragement, but he appreciated it all the same.

"I know, Cortana," he replied simply. He turned back to the window. "I know our plan will work."

"John…" Cortana whispered too softly for him to hear.

* * *

Their enemy was named; the source of all of their frustrations and troubles, the reason all of them had been through so much, the leader of the soldiers who had murdered hundreds of innocents. The group tensed as they held back their collective anger.

"Can you please stop glaring at me!" The unfortunate person who was sitting in Master Chief's seat – Daisy – felt the hatred instead. At her shout, the others turned away out of guilt. But the anger was still there.

"Alright, he's our enemy," said Fox. "Why's he our enemy? Who is he, and what's he doing here?"

Master Hand regretted those questions; they were questions he had no answers to. "He appeared suddenly a few months ago. He took over the enemy army and became their Commander."

"Took over?" Fox repeated. "From whom?"

"My brother. Crazy Hand."

There was silence as they soaked it in. Many of them had no idea who Crazy Hand was, but those who did felt no sympathy for him. They felt sympathy for Master Hand, who had spoken with such sadness and regret that they could only imagine what had happened.

"Do you… know what happened?" Waluigi asked.

"I suppose that would require I start at the beginning," Master Hand replied, wanting to avoid the subject for as long as he could. "The beginning of everything. That would help you understand why losing… my brother… was the worst tragedy we could have experienced.

"Before these realms were created, as many of you know, our universes were all connected without tunnels. We could travel to others' worlds as we pleased so long as we had the transportation, and occasionally we would gather. For tournaments or games, or for the occasional visit. We understood our differences and lived peacefully, letting each other live their own lives.

"That all changed over two years ago. It was decided that while we were at peace with each other, our universe was at war with another. The Gods split our universe into pieces, separating our worlds into the realms you see drawn onto the table before you. Fifteen realms were created."

"Only these fifteen?" Peach asked, looking at the table. "But what of the others? I recall having fun with Mr. Game and Watch."

"Many of those worlds were abandoned, lost when the universe was split," said Master Hand. "Many were moved into the background of more prominent worlds. Many simply disappeared."

Peach gasped. "How could they? All of those lives!"

"The Gods are cruel." Master Hand replied derisively. "The Gods caused all of this. They realized once the realms were separated that the realms could not withstand the change. All of that life, energy, matter, existence was ripped and torn and squeezed into something so insignificantly tiny that even the Gods couldn't keep them together. Or perhaps they could, but they didn't want to bother moderating the worlds. So they created hosts for the energy that was lost.

"A single Realm Representative was chosen from each realm, a person who – the Gods believed – were good of heart and strong and could withstand all of that energy. These weren't volunteers; we were forced."

Luigi looked at his brother in horror. Mario nodded sadly in confirmation.

"If Realm Representatives die, all of the energy within us would be violently released, and our realms would not be able to withstand the change. The realms would disappear, and everything inside would be no more.

"The Gods told them this, but they knew that forcing that burden upon them would make them appear despicable. The Realm Representatives didn't understand why their universe was literally being torn apart, why they couldn't see their friends again. So, the Gods decided to bequeath some small mercy. The realms were rearranged into this shape, and tunnels were created so that the realms could all connect.

"But that arrangement did not last long. The Gods are paranoid, and whatever force that caused them to change our universe scared them so much that they were not satisfied. They needed something to fight back in case all of their defenses failed. So, out of desperation, Final Destination was created. But the Gods needed something to make up for this giant realm, so a lot of tunnels were sacrificed, and in their haste they made the wrong person a Realm Representative.

"They were so focused on protecting against this threat, all of their attention must have been focused on this threat. When they made Final Destination, they made the threat the Realm Representative. Whoever this Master Chief is, he became the catalyst for the realm by mistake. But the Gods, instead of fixing their mistake and destroying this realm and building anew, decided to reawaken my brother to be Commander of the armies. All of the soldiers would answer to him and only to him, and he would oversee the armies' creation.

"But the Gods remained paranoid, and they realized that they needed a final defense for us. A last bastion of hope in case everything else was lost. A secret realm from which we could be able to escape even an empire. Even if the armies were turned against us, we would be able to rebel. Thus, with whatever leftover energy was left, Rebellion was created, and I was reawakened from whatever slumber I rested. I was made Realm Representative of Rebellion.

"Two years ago, we gathered in Rebellion – the sixteen of us – to discuss what had been forced upon us and what to do with this unseen threat that had accidentally been given a considerable position of power. We all understood it was a mistake, a terrible mistake, and that whatever threat this Master Chief was, he would be coming. He would do whatever it took to destroy us.

"So we pleaded with the Gods: Destroy Final Destination and the armies that were being created by the second. Make sure that this oversight was corrected before it could be used against us. But our prayers fell on deaf ears; either the Gods weren't able to help us, or they refused.

"Nine months ago was the last I heard from my brother. All of the realms sent spies, and the message was clear: Crazy Hand had fallen, and there was a new unknown Commander. We all understood exactly what that meant, so we all planned for the worst. I begged for all of the Realm Representatives to gather their strongest soldiers and bring them to Rebellion so that we may wait for the tide of war to pass by, and then strike, like our Gods intended. None of them listened."

"We couldn't abandon everyone," Mario pleaded, more to the others than Master Hand. "We couldn't… tear you from your homes based on nothing but speculation. You wouldn't have believed me."

Those who came with him from the Mushroom Kingdom looked at Mario with mixed feelings of disbelief and annoyance. Of course they would have believed him; they trusted him with everything. But then, they remembered that they hadn't run until the army was attacking Peach's Castle. They'd waited until the last possible moment before reacting just on the chance that he was overreacting to this unseen threat. Mario was right; they had to have had proof.

Master Hand turned to Waluigi, who immediately shrunk in his seat in response. "So what happened, Waluigi, to my brother? To Final Destination? Nobody knows. All that we understand is that the worst possible scenario has occurred, and Master Chief is in command of all of the armies of Final Destination. And here we are."

"What are those armies?" asked Fox. "You keep saying that they're being made, like machines, but all of the soldiers we've encountered have been human."

"I lived with them for over a month," added Waluigi. "They ate, slept, laughed, fought. They're human."

"They look human," answered Master Hand. "The Gods believed that Master Chief would appear with an army of his own, so they would counter with their own soldiers. However, if the armies of Final Destination were robotic – made of metal and wire - then in the scenario where they were to protect us from Master Chief's army by occupying other realms, they would terrify the residents. Most realms have human or humanlike creatures living within. Very few have machines. Thus, the soldiers were made to be as humanlike as possible. They're given names, personalities, pasts; they eat, they sleep, they fight. But they're processed in one of numerous machines and have no true mind of their own. They're given orders from the Commander, and they follow them absolutely."

"Is Master Chief human?" asked Link.

"I think so," said Master Hand. "I also believe he is male, and that he was able to infiltrate the armies by posing as a soldier himself. He put himself in a position to assassinate Crazy Hand, and then he took control. That is my theory."

"Are all the soldiers men, then?" asked Daisy warily.

"They are," answered Master Hand. "Most are around the same age and the same build. To give the appearance of order, some of greater rank look older, and some appear younger and weaker."

"And this place," King Dedede held his arms signifying everything around him. "This 'Rebellion' is to protect us from soldiers?" Master Hand nodded. "Then why are soldiers guarding the entrance?"

"They were kidnapped, for lack of a better word," Master Hand answered. "We reprogrammed them and commanded them to guard the entrance with their lives."

"Why is this place so miserable?" asked Hammer Bro, his eyes looking toward the ceiling, shuddering at the blank sky. "If this is a place of safety and security, why make something so unsettling?"

Master Hand gave a dry chuckle. "Perhaps I'm simply used to it, but the sky does not bother me. As I have said, Rebellion and my reawakening were the final creations using the last available energy. There wasn't enough to create a full universe; the realm is tiny in comparison to the other realms. Beyond the cliffs that surround us, there is a white void that leads to nothing. There is no sky, there is no sun, there is nothing outside this single plain we live on. The tunnel, as I'm sure you noticed, does not have the power of the Gods to guide you when you seem lost. It was not meant to be a habitable realm; the grounds are fertile, but there is no running water.

"Rebellion is a realm designed for a single task. To house the Realm Representatives until they are able to mount a counterattack against an overwhelming force. Few people know where it is, and fewer still are able to find it."

"What about all of those people outside," asked Yoshi. "The people that nearly suffocated us?"

Master Hand hesitated, his fingers drooping apologetically. "They come from all over the realms, gathered to ensure that species continue in the absolute worst case scenario. They have been told of the Realm Representatives, and many of them have witnessed their exploits personally. The Realm Representatives, here, are revered as heroes destined to guide us to safety. Seeing four of us arriving simultaneously… excited them."

None of the five seemed excited at the prospect of being heroes. Their gazes were focused firmly on their names.

"I wish they hadn't reacted so zealously, but I hope you understand that any new face excites them."

"Even if those new faces should mean that there's nothing but danger on the other side?" asked Fox.

"They talk of hope after the end, not the end itself."

"You guys knew there was going to be an end. You guys knew that something like this was going to happen years ago," Falco recounted, growing angrier with each word. "You guys planned against this. Yet this all happened anyway?"

"It's hard to plan against the might of that army," said Krystal, placing a calming hand over his. "Most of us don't have the numbers or the firepower."

"The army has been producing men by the hundreds every day for over two years," added Master Hand. "Their numbers likely grow to the tens of thousands, and each one is capable of firing powerful, deadly weaponry."

"Why didn't we get any of that weaponry?" asked Falco. "We could've used it!" He looked at Krystal, wrenching his arm away. "You never told General Pepper. He could've used his power to add… something! Anything! Anything more than the nothing we all did!"

Krystal watched him sadly. "It wouldn't have been enough, Falco. You remember how many friends we had flying the skies this morning?"

Falco nodded bitterly, knowing all too well. All of them were taken down by the battleship in the sky. But he couldn't let it go, the idea that they could have done more. "The armada," he said. "General Pepper could've called the armada. If we'd just told him what was going to happen."

"We didn't know-" Krystal began, but Falco quickly got to his feet, slamming his fists on the table.

"Of course you knew! You knew everything was going to happen!"

Krystal got to her feet as well, meeting his eyes. She spoke not out of rage, but out of determination: "We did not know when it was going to happen. We had been planning for the worst for nine months, Falco, and we were still caught off guard. What would you suggest I had done? Announced to General Pepper to hold his entire armada on Corneria on the slight chance that we would be attacked today? What about the rest of the galaxy? Would you let it go without protection for the rest of time in case Master Chief appeared one day?"

Falco blinked, thinking desperately of a counterargument. Thinking back, it was so obvious they were under attack. They told General Pepper the moment the ship arrived, but they never told him to bring the entire armada. What would he have said? His barking voice would've assured them that they could handle one ship themselves; they didn't need his help. He wouldn't have done anything more than he thought was necessary, even if that wasn't enough.

Falco dropped back into his seat, looking defeated. He looked up at Master Hand and asked bitterly, "Were those ships your Gods' idea too?"

Master Hand hesitated. "What do you mean?"

That was when Waluigi pulled out a slip of paper from his sock. He held it up to Master Hand, who read the note silently. He got confused looks from the others, so he quickly explained: "I overheard a lot of plans during my time there. Master Chief's been building giant airships. I know he has three of them."

"Three?" Kirby gasped. "But one of them did all of that damage?"

"What kind of damage?" asked Master Hand.

"When that ship fired-" Krystal began. Then she gasped in pain and clutched her chest.

Fox leapt out of his chair, fearing the worst, when he heard another gasp. Mario slammed his fist on the table, gritting his teeth; Link had dropped his head; Metaknight's eyes were closed; Master Hand had dropped a few feet, letting out a sharp gasp.

The five of them looked at each other instinctively. "I suppose," Master Hand gasped. "That… that the pain I felt earlier today…"

Mario nodded. "That was the ship."

"It destroyed a tunnel," Metaknight added.

"Destroyed?" Master Hand repeated. "Master Chief has that power?"

"We saw it ourselves," Krystal confirmed. Her gaze dropped to the table, hating having to recall that moment. "It obliterated my realm."

Master Hand floated in silence, considering the ramifications of their enemy being able to destroy their only means of traveling through the realms. He had hoped that the other Realm Representatives would be able to reach Rebellion safely, but the very thought of having one trapped in his realm, separated from the others forever, terrified the giant hand. He didn't want to do this, but he had no choice.

"Very well," he finally spoke, quietly and sadly, dreading the words emanating from him. "It seems that there is little time to rest."

"Wait," Falco said, shaking his head. "I still have more questions."

"Let me speak, and then I will continue asking your questions." Master Hand paused. "Mario, Metaknight, Link, and Krystal, I wish there was another way, but I have to call upon you for a request. I need you to gather the other Realm Representatives and bring them here."

There was silence. Nobody truly understood what he was asking, and they looked at him with expressions of concern and disbelief.

"Master Hand?" Krystal asked. "Are you… are you really asking…?"

"I am, Krystal," Master Hand replied. "You need to leave as soon as you can, before other realms are attacked."

"What?" Peach gasped, jumping to her feet. "You can't send us out there after what we just went through!"

"No, no, Peach," Master Hand said quickly. "Your fight is over. The rest of you may rest here. We have plenty of room for you all. No, this task is only for the four of them."

"You can't just ask them to leave this place," said Fox, his face full of concern as he stared at Krystal. "Do you know how many times we were shot at? Who knows what the other realms are like?"

"The longer we wait, the longer the attack goes on, and the greater chance we have of losing another realm," said Master Hand. "They must leave as soon as they can."

"They haven't slept in so long!" Kirby cried. "They can't leave yet!"

"Why do they have to be the only ones who go?" asked Hammer Bro, and all eyes turned to him. "What? Why does it have to be them?"

"Because they are Realm Representatives, and they understand what will happen to this world if they aren't able to reach Rebellion."

"Why aren't you going?" Falco demanded of Master Hand.

"Unfortunately, I would be a giant target; every enemy would be firing upon me," Master Hand answered. "I have no power; I am merely a catalyst for Rebellion. I have to stay here to protect the realm."

"That's not fair to them!" complained Daisy.

"Everyone seems to be complaining other than the Realm Representatives," noted Waluigi, looking at Mario. "What do they think?"

"They don't even have a choice," Falco spat. "According to Master Hand over here."

"Of course they have a choice," Peach said, turning to Mario with pleading eyes. "They don't have to leave."

Mario smiled sadly at Peach, and he held her arm in his. "Unfortunately, Peach, we do."

"We'll do it," Krystal confirmed, nodding. "We'll bring them here."

"We won't let you down," Link promised, flashing a reassuring smile across the table."

Metaknight nodded, folding his arms. "We will leave as soon as possible."

Master Hand could not show his immense relief. "Good," he said. "As I said, you must leave as soon as possible. Say your goodbyes, and then meet by the tunnel entrance in an hour."

* * *

Master Chief grunted suddenly. That was the second terrible pain he'd felt that day, a pain he hadn't felt in months. He masked the grunt with a cough, but even he couldn't hide the sudden jerking from Cortana, who'd been watching him closely.

"Chief," Cortana said bluntly. Her face was filled with concern, but she kept serious, hoping this would get an explanation. "What happened?"

"The ships fired," Master Chief answered. That was the only solution he could come up with. That meant that Cortana's hypothesis was correct; the tunnels could be destroyed with enough energy. They may have seemed like mythical, magical relics the way they could communicate apparent anger and resentment toward him. But they were breakable like everything else. "Either a single ship was in danger and decided to attack both tunnels, or multiple ships are in trouble."

"You grunted earlier today," Cortana recalled. She had noticed him attempting to hide it, but she had said nothing. "Two tunnels?"

"Two tunnels," Master Chief confirmed. "Either one realm is completely isolated from the rest of the universe, or two realms are unconquerable."

"It's been long enough for the _Triumphant Roar_ to have recharged," Cortana reasoned, going through the calculations nearly instantaneously. "It could easily have been attacked and decided to forego sending its troops."

Master Chief nodded, hiding his frustration. He despised waiting, hidden in a large tower away from the battlefield. He needed to lead his army from the field, not from a desk. He wanted to witness the _Triumphant Roar_ firing its cannon firsthand, not from a report from a soldier who didn't even see it himself.

He turned away from the window and went to one of the walls of the room. A large map of sixteen realms had been crudely drawn and attached to the wall. A line indicating a connection between the Final Destination and Metroid realms had been erased. Three ships were placed in three smaller realms, and the _Triumphant Roar_ was sitting in the Star Fox realms. Master Chief thought for a moment, and then he turned to Cortana.

"What seems more likely, then?" He asked.

Cortana thought for a moment, briefly considering nearly every possible scenario from the info they had gathered from the realm. She recalled the titular team being captains of capable airships similar in size to the _Triumphant Roar_ , and that the realm itself was nearly as advanced as their original home.

"It was solely the _Triumphant Roar_ ," she replied. "Both tunnels were destroyed."

Master Chief nodded. Her advice was the only one he truly considered before all of his moves. He greatly valued her input, and he didn't hesitate before erasing both lines connecting to the Star Fox realm. He stared at the circle floating disconnected from the rest of the world, a blob of loneliness destined to drift alone forever.

"I suppose separating it is just as effective as destroying it," Master Chief noted, grateful that he wouldn't have to destroy all of those innocent lives. "The residents live as if they were alone in the universe."

Cortana was feeling equally as relieved. "Perhaps we could do that to all of the realms?" She knew secretly that that would never happen; some of the realms were even more formidable than the Star Fox realm. Nothing short of invasion was capable of destroying them.

"That's not the mission," Master Chief said simply. He didn't even know if letting the Star Fox realm live would be acceptable. If he would be forced to finish the job, or if his employers would be okay with this fate. He wavered slightly, hating that he could be forced to kill all of those innocents himself. "It's not the mission."


	11. Chapter 10

Mario

Luigi

Peach

Daisy

Yoshi

Toad

Hammer Bro

Kirby

Metaknight

King Dedede

Bandana Dee

Fox

Falco

Krystal

Link

Waluigi

* * *

A pair of graves had already been dug. The Yoshis and Toads that had carried Birdo and Toadette outside were all gathered around the holes, staring sadly at the bodies that lay in them. Mario held Yoshi's shoulder reassuringly as they approached.

Yoshi stopped suddenly, his eyes looking over every inch of his love as she rested peacefully. Her body had been wiped clean of dirt and blood, and she looked beautiful, as if she was only sleeping. He stepped just above the grave, silently wishing she would say it was all a joke, and that she was only pretending to be asleep.

"Please," Yoshi whispered, fighting back tears. "Please be a joke… be a dream… be anything…"

The other Yoshis looked to him for approval, but Yoshi's gaze was only on Birdo. Mario gave approval instead, nodding at them to begin covering her with dirt. When the first pile was tossed back into the hole, Yoshi gave a gasp of objection, but the others continued.

"How could they do that to her?" Yoshi whispered, finally letting the tears fall. "She did nothing wrong, Mario. She never hurt anyone."

"I know," Mario whispered to his best friend. He wanted to tell him everything would be okay, that he would push past this, but the words wouldn't escape his throat. He promised his friends that everything they had gone through, everything they had suffered, would be worth it, that they'd be safe. Yet here they stood, burying one of their friends, having lost so many others, and soon they would be separated once more.

The others were starting to leave the house. Mario heard footsteps behind them, and turning he saw his brother helping Toad cross the short distance to the graves. Peach and Daisy were just behind them, but nobody else was following. Many of them gave the funeral looks of sadness, but the rest of them, even Waluigi, went their separate ways.

Peach stood on Mario's other side and held his hand tightly, silently begging him not to go. Mario didn't want to look into her eyes. He didn't want to see the sorrow.

"I…" Toad said, looking away from Toadette as the other Toads began to cover her body. "I want to go."

"Are you sure?" Luigi asked, but Toad moved out of Luigi's grasp and started to limp away. "Toad, please…"

Daisy grabbed Luigi's shoulder and gave him a kiss. "He'll need time."

Luigi turned to Mario. Both brothers had the same sadness in their eyes. "We all will."

* * *

Kirby couldn't hold back the tears as he stared at his friend. Metaknight looked unconcerned, but he couldn't look away. The two stared at each other in silence while King Dedede and Bandana Dee looked at the pair awkwardly.

The four of them had leapt onto the roof of a familiar house, a house nearly identical to one of their town's villagers, a small family who had been evacuated months earlier. Together, as far as they knew, they were the only survivors from the realm. They had hoped to enjoy the silence and stare at the beautiful landscapes, but the moment they sat down they were reminded of the brevity of their peace.

"You can't go!" Kirby finally cried, barely suppressing the urge to leap into Metaknight's arms and hold him in place. "You can't go out there again! It's horrible, Metty! So many terrible people are out there!"

"Kirby," Metaknight said softly.

King Dedede smirked, leaning forward and patting Kirby's head. "Kirby, please, if you don't think Metty can handle himself out there, you don't know him nearly as well as I do."

"He shouldn't have to!" Kirby argued. "It's not fair! He deserves peace as much as we do!"

"Unfortunately, you are wrong," said Metaknight. "You know my past as well as I do. I wreaked havoc on Dreamland, killed many innocents." He looked at Galaxia resting on his feet. "Becoming a Realm Representative, being responsible for this awful burden, is a small atonement. I will do whatever is requested of me to ensure the survival of our worlds."

"But that's all in the past!" said Kirby. "You've… you've changed so much! You've saved so many people already!"

"Saving one life does not atone for killing another," argued Metaknight.

"How awful is the burden?" asked Bandana Dee curiously. "What does it feel like?"

Metaknight flexed one of his hands, staring at it in thought. "I haven't gotten used to it even after all these years. It is a constant throbbing deep in my chest, a powerful pressure that continuously attempts to explode. It's exhausting keeping that pressure in check, and I feel I always have to focus on it in order to suppress it."

"He doesn't sleep," King Dedede added, giving Metaknight a sympathetic glance. "I can't remember the last time I saw him eat." He hesitated, noticing Meatknight's warning look, but he continued anyway. "If you look closely you can see the pain he's trying to hide."

"Enough!" Metaknight snapped. "I am more than capable of speaking for myself, and I do not need your analysis, King Dedede."

King Dedede shrugged apathetically. "Does it really matter what I say? You won't admit anything. Am I wrong?"

As he expected, Metaknight refrained from speaking. The two stared at each other intensely. Then King Dedede cracked a smile. "Say, Kirby, what do you think Master Hand would say if we joined these guys on their adventure?"

Kirby blinked, rubbing his eyes. "What?"

"No," Metaknight said sharply, knowing exactly what King Dedede was planning. "This is not your fight anymore. You are here, safe. That is where you belong."

"Hear that, Kirby? Metaknight wants to protect us," King Dedede chuckled. "He thinks we'll just sit by and let him leave!"

Metaknight leapt to his feet, brandishing Galaxia menacingly. "King Dedede, do not speak another word. You will not leave."

That forced King Dedede to jump to his feet, cracking the roof with his weight. He held his hammer in both hands, ready to strike. "Do you think you can command your king?"

"Both of you, stop!" Bandana Dee stepped in between them. "What is going on? Why are you all so upset? We're safe!"

Kirby finally understood what King Dedede was implying, and through his tears he began to smile. "You're right! Metaknight loves us!"

Metaknight turned to Kirby, but he kept Galaxia trained on King Dedede. "Kirby, sit down. Go back to Master Hand. I mean it!"

But Kirby stood up defiantly. "You can't tell me what to do, Metaknight!"

"Atta boy, Kirby," smirked King Dedede. He took a step closer, but Metaknight held his ground. "Well, Metaknight, what are you going to do?"

"I will strike both of you down," threatened Metaknight, turning between the two. "Do not presume I won't."

"See, that's the thing, you love us. You want to protect us. You won't hurt us."

"Is that so?"

King Dedede took another step forward, calling his bluff. "It is, Metaknight. So either you stop us both, or we're coming with you."

The three held their ground for minutes. Nobody moved, nobody spoke. Bandana Dee looked between the three in turn, wanting to say anything, but nothing came to his mind. Finally, after ages, Metaknight threw his sword into the roof where it stuck.

"You two do not understand the danger you are getting yourselves into," he said in frustration. "If either of you are hurt, it will be on me! If I am not able to protect you…"

"Kirby's strong," King Dedede smiled, setting his hammer down. "He'll be able to handle himself." He looked over at Bandana Dee. "Are you coming with?"

Bandana Dee immediately shook his head. "You guys are crazy! We're safe! Why would you want to go back out there! You saw all those evil people!"

"We can't let Metaknight go out on his own," said King Dedede. "Besides, he may be able to handle himself, but the others need our protection."

Kirby walked over to Bandana Dee and pulled him in for a hug. "Don't worry, friend, we'll come back soon."

"You better," Bandana Dee sighed, returning the hug halfheartedly. "I've lost too many friends already."

* * *

Fox, Falco, and Krystal snuck out of the city entirely. They walked a mile out to a large hilltop, upon which they could view most of the realm. Master Hand was right; the cliffs surrounded them on all sides. There was nothing on the other side.

Falco looked at the sky, shivering at the unnerving sight. "I can't live here," he complained, shaking his head. "I could never live looking at a white sky. I need my sky black and filled with stars."

"Like it or not, until we're able to repel this army, this is our future," said Fox. He and Krystal and sat down together and were choosing not to look up.

"We've got to change it, man," Falco looked at his best friends. His only remaining friends as far as he knew. "We lost our homes so easily. We couldn't even fight back! Do you think I'm just going to sit here and let someone else fight my battles?"

Fox shrugged nonchalantly. "I wouldn't expect you to." He smirked cheekily. "You never were the type."

"So you know what I intend to do, right?"

"You're leaving with me," deduced Krystal. She looked at Falco with disapproving eyes. "Falco, you have to consider the risks."

"What risks?" asked Falco. He pulled out his blaster. "You think I can't handle myself? I'm the best shot of all of us. I'm not in any danger."

"You really don't learn, do you?" Fox sighed. "It doesn't matter how good you are at shooting. Not against them. They have hundreds of thousands of people just as good as you. You can't fight them."

Falco waved his blaster in the air, pacing back and forth as he ranted. "Why are you talking like that, Fox? Have you really given up? Are you going to sit here in this 'safe' place, content that all you did was survive? Are you not going to fight back? Just because they have the numbers, you think we can't win?"

Fox simply stared at him until he stopped pacing and calmed down. Falco glared at him expectantly, so he responded: "Of course I'm going to fight. Those bastards killed Peppy and Slippy. I'm going to make sure every one of them pays."

Falco looked pleased, but Krystal looked at him in surprise. "Fox, no, you can't mean that…"

Fox turned to her, his face calm but his eyes betraying the rage boiling within. "I can, and I do. I completely agree with Falco on one point: We lost our homes, our friends. We need to get revenge."

"We aren't fighting them," argued Krystal. "This is not for revenge."

"All of these realms are under attack," said Fox, pulling out his own blaster and eyeing it carefully. "Those soldiers are everywhere. We'll kill a bunch of them just because they're in our way. We'll get our revenge sooner or later."

"Fox, please," Krystal pleaded. "Falco… you two have to understand that you cannot let your rage blind you! I am mourning over their losses as well. But this is not about vengeance; our sole mission is to rescue the others."

"Yeah," said Falco. "We'll rescue them, and we'll kick some ass along the way."

"We won't lose our heads," said Fox, placing a hand on top of Krystal's. The pair looked into each other's eyes, and the rage had vanished. "You're still the boss. But if there are soldiers in the way, we will not hesitate."

"No, Fox," Krystal shook her head. "This is my mission. If you come along, you have to obey me. You cannot kill unless necessary." She thought a brief moment, then clarified, "Until I deem it's necessary."

Fox and Falco looked at each other, both of them in thought. It didn't take Falco long to agree; one look at the sky convinced him. Fox had to consider what Peppy and Slippy would have wanted. Neither of them would have wanted him acting out of rage. They'd want him to be smart.

"Okay," said Fox as convincingly as he could. "We're at your service, Krystal."

* * *

Link decided to talk a walk around the city, to see the results of his years of constant work. The city had grown quickly thanks to him smuggling so many people through his realm. He had never stayed long enough to see the results, but walking around and seeing such a variety of communities gave him a feeling of hope he hadn't had in a long time. It was a tiny realm, but the city itself was massive, and it was working. His efforts had paid off.

He stood in front of a Kokiri house, fighting the urge to see the residents, to see if he knew them. But he felt eyes staring at him, and he turned around to see Waluigi a distance away, pretending to look at a house that couldn't have been familiar to him. Link looked around to see if anyone else was around, but nobody was in sight.

He approached Waluigi with a wide smile. "It seems we had the same idea, then."

Waluigi barely gave acknowledge him. There was an unnatural guilt in his eyes, and Link watched him warily.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Thank you for not killing me," said Waluigi. He chuckled nervously. "I have to admit, surviving so long in enemy territory only to be killed so close to safety would have been terrible."

"I wish the pain hadn't come at such a poor time," admitted Link, rubbing his chest unconsciously. "My men acted too quickly for me to stop them."

"The soldier was an enemy," said Waluigi. "He didn't deserve to live."

Link nodded toward the entrance to the realm. "We would have reprogrammed him into another fighter. It was a rare opportunity, but unfortunately there is nothing we can do not."

Link studied Waluigi carefully, and then he asked: "You look guilty."

"Do I?" Waluigi rearranged his face into a smile. The guilt hadn't vanished. "Is that better?"

"Waluigi, why are you not with your friends?"

"I… I've been with the enemy for a long time… they thought I'd died… I don't know how I can go back to them and pretend that nothing happened."

"Have you tried talking to them?"

Waluigi's smile never faltered, but he shook his head. "What would I say? How could I come back into their lives when they've already moved on?"

"They've lost so much. Wouldn't having someone come back into their lives be the one thing they need?"

Waluigi looked vaguely in the direction of the newly-dug graves. "Maybe if I was a friend. I have no friends among them. I was always… terrible to them. My only friend was Wario, and he is nowhere to be seen. It's better if I stay away from them."

"That's no way to act," Link said, frowning in disappointment. "In a time like this, facing an overpowering enemy like this, you have so few people you can rely on. Those people you say you were terrible to, they will forgive you if you just go to them."

Waluigi continued to look in their direction. Finally, he shook his head and turned back to Link, his smile fading. "I don't need to interrupt their mourning; they've lost far more than I could ever bring back."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Come with you on your mission," Waluigi replied without hesitation. "I have to find Wario. I need closure. Even if he's dead, I have to know."

"You can handle yourself," Link admitted, remembering his tale. "But this isn't a risk you have to take."

"I don't have to take it," Waluigi agreed. "But I can't rest here knowing that Wario could be out there somewhere worrying about me, not that he would," he added with a slight chuckle. "I know how the enemy works better than anyone in this place. My information is invaluable."

Link sighed, seeing the confidence in his eyes and knowing he would not be able to convince him. "If that's your wish, Waluigi. I don't know if Mario would approve."

"It doesn't matter what Mario thinks," Waluigi replied. "He owes me this; I saved his life."

* * *

The other residents of the Mushroom Kingdom went back to Master Hand's house, sitting in a large room in the corner of the house, a room painted with mellow reds and soft greens. It was a peaceful, familiar room that helped pacify them while they reflected in these last moments together. Several bunk beds rested along the walls, and a large metal table rested in the center.

They had sat in silence since they arrived, each one thinking about the past and future, the mistakes they've made and the vows to correct them. Yoshi finally broke the silence by looking Mario directly in the eyes.

"I'm coming with you."

Everyone stared at him in shock. Mario looked horrified. He couldn't imagine that his best friend would say that. What would drive him to that? He immediately shook his head. "No, you won't."

"You're not stopping me," Yoshi said defiantly. "Mario, I have to come with you."

"Why?"

"For Birdo."

Silence followed his answer. Mario could see the rage building in Yoshi's eyes, a rage he didn't want any of his friends to feel. "Yoshi…" he said softly. "I know you're angry… but this isn't the right answer."

"What's the right answer?" Yoshi demanded, slapping his hands on the table and jumping to his feet. His eyes never left Mario. "Tell me, Mario! What should I do? Sit here and mourn? Stay trapped in this awful place waiting for you to return? Imagine the horrible things going on out there and praying that I don't hear that you've died as well?"

"You-"

"Mario!" Tears fell out of Yoshi's eyes. "You can't argue with me! I've lost everything! Everything except you! If I lost you out there, my best friend, what could I do with myself? I wouldn't… I wouldn't be able to live on!"

"Don't say that!" Mario cried. "Of course you would! You're not going to lose me! I'm going to come back safely, and we'll all be able to stay here!"

But Yoshi shook his head. "You can't promise that! You can't say you'll come back, not from what's out there!"

"I can," Luigi suddenly said. Mario and Yoshi turned to him, and Luigi grimaced. His eyes betrayed the fear within him, but he steadied his voice as he continued: "Yoshi, I'll protect Mario with my life."

"Luigi…" Mario whispered.

"No, Luigi, you can't!" Daisy cried, jumping to her feet and rushing to Luigi. "You can't say that!"

Luigi grasped Daisy's hands and held them in his, staring into her eyes. "I can, Daisy. He's my brother. I have to protect him."

"Luigi, you of all people need to stay here," said Mario. "I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't protect you."

"Then you better protect me, brother, because you aren't stopping me."

Mario looked from Luigi, caressing his wife, to Yoshi, who had lost his lover. Both of them had such determination in their eyes, but they had no idea what danger they would be throwing themselves into. Mario had so many arguments for both of them, why they should stay safe, why they should protect what remains of their families, why their lives were more important than anything, but neither of them would listen. Not even to him. Not now.

"Yoshi," Mario muttered, hating that he was submitting to them and letting them risk their lives. "If you come with us, you can't seek vengeance for Birdo."

"And why not?" Yoshi demanded.

But Mario refused to answer, glaring at him with such intensity that Yoshi was forced to look away. "This mission isn't for revenge, it's to gather the other Realm Representatives. If I do not have your word that you won't seek revenge, you can join us."

Yoshi stared at the table. "If I don't give you my word, you won't 'let' me go?"

"I won't let you go," Peach said suddenly, and Yoshi turned to her in confusion. She had a fierce determination in her eyes. "That is a promise I will make, Yoshi. You have to listen to Mario."

Yoshi stared at her until the ferocity in his eyes disappeared. There was something in her eyes that gave him no choice but to concede. "Okay," he finally said, keeping his voice steady. "I promise, Mario, I'll… follow you. No revenge."

Mario could see how much it hurt him to say that, and he felt like he had to add something to give him some satisfaction. Anything to make him feel better. "But if we encounter soldiers that we have no choice but to stop, you can… stop them." However, this got no reaction out of Yoshi. Not even the smile that Mario had hoped for.

"I'm going too," Toad piped up, getting to his feet and immediately swaying from the effort.

"You can't leave in your condition," said Peach softly, holding his shoulder. "You have to stay here."

"I'm not weak," Toad growled, forcing himself to stand tall. "If Yoshi's getting revenge, I'm getting revenge too."

"He's not getting revenge," said Mario. "And neither will you."

"Toad, please, listen to me," Peach pleaded. She kneeled down to look him in the eyes, giving him a reassuring smile. "You have to protect me from harm. You are the new Head Guard. You have too much responsibility to me, to the Kingdom, to leave."

The mention of the Head Guard got his attention. His expression softened. "New Head Guard?" He repeated as if fearful of the position. "Me? That's… that's what I've always wanted… are you sure?"

Peach nodded slightly. "I would want no one else but a Toad as brave as yourself."

Toad considered for a moment, and then he nodded. "I'll do it, Peach, I won't disappoint you."

"I'll hold you to that." With that decided, Peach got to her feet and brought Mario in for an embrace. "Please return safely."

"I will," Mario promised. He tightened his grip, smelling her hair, feeling the back of her neck, her side, the warmth of her touch, the heat of her breath. He never wanted to let go. "I will."

* * *

They gathered at the entrance of the city, discussed who would be coming, and then walked to the tunnel. Hammer Bro, who had disappeared as soon as the group exited Master Hand's house, was surprisingly waiting for all of them. He kept a fair distance away from the soldiers standing around, eyeing them suspiciously despite their passivity. When his friends approached, he walked over to them, smirking.

"I know you think I came to see you all off," he said before any of them could speak. "But I want to say right now that I want to join you guys." He looked solely at Mario. "I've seen first-hand what they can do. I don't want them to do anything like that to any of you guys. Please let me help you."

Mario didn't hesitate. He knew little of Hammer Bro, but he saw the genuine desire to help in his eyes. "Of course," he said. "We'd be happy to have you join us."

Hammer Bro blinked, surprised it was that easy, but he didn't mention it. "Thank you," he said gratefully.

"Has Master Hand been nearby?" asked Link.

"No, he hasn't," Hammer Bro answered. "I'm surprised I haven't see him, either. I thought he'd see you – uh, us – off."

"How long should we wait for him?" asked Fox.

"If he doesn't feel the need to see us off, then that's his decision," answered Metaknight. "We shouldn't waste time."

"Do we know where we're going?" asked Hammer Bro.

"We discussed it in town," said Mario. "We decided to go to the Mushroom Kingdom first. We'll circle around the realms counter-clockwise. Samus – the Realm Representative of the Metroid realm – destroyed the tunnel connecting her realm to the Final Destination realm months ago. Master Chief won't be able to attack her realm directly, so it's the safest from the enemy for now."

"Aren't there other realms?" Hammer Bro asked recalling the map on the table. "Xeno… something and Pikmin?"

"My realm's armies will hold the enemy off until we're done," answered Link. "Shulk and Olimar will be safe from them until we get through the other realms."

The conversation died. The group hesitated to leave, with many of them looking to the sky for a sign of Master Hand. When they finally knew they couldn't wait any longer, they said their last goodbyes. Peach and Mario were the last to finish their hug, and when they separated Mario moved into the tunnel without a look back. The others began to follow. Falco turned around one last time.

"We'll return!" He shouted confidently, thrusting his fist into the air. "We'll return with our saviors! You can count on it!"

Fox punched him in the shoulder, smiling despite himself. "You and your drama."

Falco winked. "Gotta hype up the crowd."

As the twelve of them disappeared into the tunnel, those behind weren't filled with confidence. They were filled with regret, with anger, with disappointment. They didn't want to stay behind, and they certainly didn't want to see so many friends disappearing into something so dangerous. But they had no choice; the world outside was in complete chaos, and all they could do now was survive.

It's all any of them could do now.


	12. Chapter 11

Mario

Luigi

Yoshi

Hammer Bro

Kirby

Metaknight

King Dedede

Fox

Falco

Krystal

Link

Waluigi

* * *

The moment Rebellion disappeared from view, the twelve who had taken on this mission were covered in complete darkness.

"Wait, it wasn't this dark when we were going into Rebellion," said Hammer Bro suspiciously. "What's going on?"

"The entrance closes after a few minutes," answered Link. "A small protection; if Rebellion were ever to be found, the army could never attack at once. The entrance would continuously be closed, forcing it to be opened."

"Smart," Falco muttered respectfully. "Cut the waves to make them easier to handle." He looked around and grimaced. "Anyone got a light?"

Link nodded, although he quickly remembered nobody could see him. He pulled a small lantern out of his pocket and tapped it, and it shined a small light. He looked at the size of the flame disappointedly.

"It looked more impressive when I last used it," he admitted.

"When was that?" asked Waluigi, chuckling. "When you were a kid?" Link ignored that remark and took the lead, holding the lantern outstretched.

"The moment we exit the tunnel, we sprint to the mountain," said Metaknight. "We can't stop for anything."

"We'll go as quickly as we can afford," Mario promised. "But if we need to slow down, we will."

King Dedede got the strange feeling that Mario was referring to him, so he harrumphed. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. "Everyone here is in top physical condition."

"I'm not," Falco said quickly. "I haven't run this much in years."

"We can't run as fast as Metaknight can glide," Mario explained. "Plus, the more people we gather, the slower we'll be able to travel. I want to make sure everyone understands that despite the urgency of this mission, the only goal is to get everyone through the realms together. If we have to stop, we will stop."

"We don't need to stop yet," said Metaknight simply.

"I think we should stop at the castle," suggested Link, looking behind at the others. "Make sure Zelda knows where we're going."

"Is it imperative?" asked Metaknight.

Link hesitated. "It might be."

"Then no."

"Metty, come on!" Kirby moaned, nudging him. "Let Link see Zelda again!" Metaknight ignored him, so he continued: "What's one detour?"

"The difference between saving a life and arriving a few minutes too late," Metaknight replied bluntly. "The person dies in your arms, and then the entire realm disappears."

"You act like you've done this before," noted Fox. "You're just speculating."

"Best to go in with that thought process; otherwise, you won't act as decisively as you should, and we will suffer."

"So we're going to suffer if we go to Zelda?" asked Link. "What if we suffer because we don't?"

It was Metaknight's turn to hesitate. Although the others took his silence as avoiding the question, and the conversation dropped, Metaknight thought about the consequences carefully for the duration of their travel. He was about to answer when Link brushed against the edge of the tunnel.

"We're here," he hissed, holding his arm out to prevent the others from running into him. He felt the wall for a movable rock, pushed it down, and stepped back as the tunnel entrance revealed itself once more.

The group covered their eyes, and the lantern was extinguished, as light bathed the tunnel once more. It was comforting to see a sky once again, to feel the wind breathing against their skin and the heat from the sun. To be able to breathe in clean air and see the stars barely shining through the clouds.

"I can't believe that place," Hammer Bro said, shaking his head and taking a cautious look behind him. "It was so… unnatural."

No one could disagree, but they kept their thoughts to themselves. None of them enjoyed Rebellion for its atmosphere, and few of them could appreciate its seclusion and secrecy.

Link turned to Metaknight. "Are we going to Zelda's castle?" He demanded.

"No," Metaknight said firmly, having weighed the consequences. "We move to the mountain quickly."

Link nodded, hiding his disappointment. He pushed his way through the brush, and when they were clear of the forest they sprinted across Hyrule Field.

They could see the battle going on in the distance. The army hadn't made it past the first layer of boulders; they were still stuck at the edge of the lake. Waluigi was relieved to see that nobody had found the entrance he had made, or perhaps it had collapsed once he passed. Either way, the war was confined to the small section of Hyrule Field, and the group's path was clear. They raced across the field, up the mountain path, and into the tunnel.

* * *

Three hours earlier…

Wario flopped onto the ground as soon as he reached the other side, scrambling away from the tunnel entrance and pushing himself as flat as he could against the hillside. His vision was blurring from the adrenaline, his breathing fast and heavy. He was sweating profusely, the liquid dripping into his eyes, but he couldn't feel the burning.

He had faced many obstacles in his life; he'd seen weapons of all kinds. But the machine gun fire that punctured Birdo and sprayed her blood over his face was something of nightmares. He saw her body jittering with each bullet in front of him and then collapsing onto the ground in a pool of blood. He heard the metallic roar of the gunfire echoing all around him, a screeching of pure terror surrounding and swallowing him.

Dry Bones was no less affected by the attack, having already been wounded by similar gunfire. He could still feel the phantom pain of the bullet slicing through his bone. He had leapt out of the tunnel and turned around to see if they were being followed.

It wasn't pure panic that had forced them to flee from the attack. In truth, the attack was only a catalyst for their escape. They had discussed separating ever since they had left the Star Fox base. Dry Bones had suggested that they would be better off on their own, and after being lied to for so long Wario happily agreed.

"Wario?" Dry Bones said cautiously after several minutes of silence had passed. Despite the danger having been over, Wario still jumped at the noise. "Wario, are you okay?"

Wario forced his breathing to slow, and he nodded. He stuffed the fear inside, putting on his tough façade. "I'm okay," he lied. "That was nothing compared to what I've been through."

Dry Bones eyed him warily. "Should we go back to the others? Are you having second thoughts?"

"No!" Wario shouted. "We're not going back!" He caught himself and quickly lowered his voice. "We can't go back. They'll call us cowards for running."

"Then we need to move onward," replied Dry Bones. He considered Wario carefully. "Do you have a plan?"

"Me? I don't know what I'm doing! It was your idea! Do you?"

"I do," Dry Bones answered. The calmness of his response would have made a more observant person wary. Wario, however, barely heard him. "Are you ready to go?"

"Of course I am!" Wario blurted as confidently as he could. "Lead the way!"

So Dry Bones started walking through the forest, and Wario followed him without a second thought. The pair traveled in silence for an hour, each one in his own thought. Wario didn't care in the slightest where they were going. He was only glad to be away from the soldiers firing on him. He was concerned that he had been affected so much by that one attack. Every step, he could see Birdo's body. Every step, he could feel the blood.

They exited the forest, and Wario stopped, suddenly fully aware of where they were. An entrance to Toad Town was only yards away. They could see a mixture of Bowser's minions and Master Chief's soldiers patrolling the streets side by side. The city was still in flames, and smoke billowed out of several smoldering houses. The sounds of death had faded, although the stench was still in the air.

"Why are we…" Wario sputtered, looking from the town to Dry Bones, who seemed unconcerned. Wario had been lost in his own thoughts and hadn't noticed the clues as to their destination. "Dry Bones! What are we doing here?"

He saw movement. A pair of Koopas waddling out of a side street. He didn't hesitate; he grabbed Dry Bones and jumped behind the nearest tree.

Dry Bones struggled to break free, but when he realized Wario's grip was too strong he grunted: "Release me!"

"Answer me!" Wario countered, glaring at him. "I thought you had a plan!"

"I do," Dry Bones answered, returning the glare. "We're going to find Bowser and join his army!"

"Join his…" Wario stared in shock. "Join Bowser's army?"

"Of course! How else do you plan on surviving? By following Mario and his lies, or by following the winner?"

"You think it will be that simple?"

Dry Bones scoffed. "For me? Absolutely. I'll move into his army without anyone noticing."

"For me?"

"For you?" Dry Bones repeated. "Maybe Bowser will be merciful."

"Or maybe," Wario narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You're leading me to my death."

"There's only one way to find out what I'm leading you into."

Wario opened his mouth to reply, but Dry Bones noticed something behind him and raised his hands in the air. "Don't shoot!" He shouted in a panic. "Don't shoot!"

Wario dropped Dry Bones instinctively and turned around, seeing a pair of soldiers with their guns drawn. Leading them was a pair of Magikoopas, their wands at the ready.

"What do we have here?" One of the Magikoopas giggled childishly. "Wario returning from his place of safety?"

"Or perhaps he was left behind by Mario," The other added giddily. "After all, Mario could never stand him."

"Or maybe he just got lost trying to find his own way," suggested the first. "He never was one to follow someone blindly."

The second eyed Dry Bones stepping noticeably to the side. "Or maybe he did, and he was just realizing his mistake."

"Oooh!" The first clapped his hands. "Do you think Wario was learning a valuable lesson about trust?"

"Wario?" The second repeated curiously. "Learning a lesson? Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"

Throughout the Magikoopas's conversation, the soldiers' gaze had been flickering between Wario and Dry Bones and the pair of chatting minions. One of the soldiers finally had had enough, and he shouted: "Hey! What are we doing with them?"

"Why are they taking your orders?" Wario demanded, pointing. "They're the ones with the guns!"

"Because we have full control," the first Magikoopa laughed, waving his wand threateningly.

"Quit with the act," said the second soldier, also tired with the pair. "We wouldn't hesitate to shoot you if we weren't ordered not to."

The second Magikoopa turned back to the soldiers, glaring at them. "And we wouldn't hesitate to turn you into a block and smash you!" He snapped. "Don't forget who gives the orders."

"Not you," the second soldier retorted.

"Can I make a suggestion?" Dry Bones said hesitatingly. "Don't shoot us. Bring us to Bowser."

"Why would we waste our time with you?" The first Magikoopa, yawning exaggeratingly. "We should kill you and be done with it." His eye gleamed greedily, however, and Dry Bones noticed.

"Wario would be a handsome prize, and I as leader of the Dry Bones would help unify them with the rest of Bowser's troops," Dry Bones suggested. "We're both excellent prizes that – if you bring to Bowser and take credit with our capture – would result in incredible rewards for whomever takes credit."

The Magikoopas immediately turned to each other. "Soldiers!" Both shouted simultaneously. "Shoot him!"

The soldiers hesitated for the briefest of moments, and then they aimed their rifles at the Magikoopas and fired. Both minions were blasted, and both collapsed in a pool of blood. Dead, just like that.

Dry Bones' mouth dropped open in surprise, and Wario's face paled in fear. Wario looked down to his chest and saw more blood, and he suddenly felt like vomiting. He retched, dropping to his knees, and Dry Bones stepped in front of him, his arms held out.

"The offer still stands!" Dry Bones pleaded, as the soldiers aimed their weapons at him. "Take us to Bowser, and we can help his army."

"We don't care about Bowser or his army," said one soldier.

"It's war," the other said. "People die. You'll just be another casualty."

Dry Bones noticed something creeping up behind the soldiers, so he pushed his arms out one last time pleadingly. "Please just listen to me! You have to understand that Bowser would want us alive! The Magikoopas you just slaughtered were willing to kill each other just to get the reward for bringing us in. That means we're important enough to keep alive!"

"It's a compelling argument," the first soldier admitted. "But we have a job to do, and ferrying you two around would get in the way of that."

Dry Bones looked to the trees and gasped. "What are you doing!" He shouted to the trees.

The soldiers couldn't help but move their weapons in the direction of the forest, and that is when the attack came. Dry Bones charged from their right, and the hidden attackers came in from their left. Dry Bones ripped out two of his ribs, rushed over to the soldiers, and cracked them over their legs, bringing them to their knees. The hidden attackers pulled out large wooden mallets and dogpiled onto the stunned soldiers. The seven of them completely demolished them, whacking them again and again and again until the mallets were covered in blood and nothing remained of the soldiers' heads.

Wario had already accepted his death, and he looked up expecting the soldiers to be standing over several bodies. Instead, however, seven heroes had come to their rescue, and they were the ones standing triumphantly over their victims.

"I…" Dry Bones wanted to thank them, but even the sight of them made him nervous. "…You're alive?"

Ludwig Von Koopa stepped over the soldiers and raised his bloody mallet to Dry Bones' snout. "Don't think we killed these men because we wanted to save you. We don't. We've got our orders too. You're coming with us."

* * *

Master Chief got up from his seat once again, this time to look at the sun beginning its descent in the sky. It had been more than twelve hours since the scouts were sent, and six hours since the attacks had officially begun, and he still hadn't received an official report. He was wondering if all of his armies had been slaughtered, or even that they weren't planning on reporting.

The last thought brought a sudden feeling of doubt, and Master Chief's hand went down to his pistol. He looked at Cortana and asked, "Have you heard of dissent amongst the troops?"

Cortana considered the question carefully, knowing the implications. "I haven't heard of anything," she replied, and then she frowned. "Aside from those we weren't able to control."

"We were able to take care of all of them?"

"We terminated them all."

"Some may have slipped through," Master Chief muttered. The answer did nothing to assuage his concerns. He disliked how the soldiers had their own personalities; it added an unnecessary uncertainty. If they were simple robots that did nothing but follow orders, then he wouldn't have to concern himself with a potential coup. But those hundreds of soldiers who were still loyal to the last Commander still resulted in postponing the attack for months. Every soldier had to be inspected afterward, and as fast and as accurate as Cortana was able to process them, there was always the threat of a resurgence.

"No," Cortana said firmly. "I was thorough. None passed."

Master Chief nodded silently, noting the tinge of hurt in her voice. He turned back to the horizon, hoping to see a small speck in the distance returning. Some small sign that all of his efforts weren't wasted.

Cortana tapped against a digital sphere hovering in front of her. She spun it slightly, pressed a section of it inward, and moved her hand across the section. A small screen appeared in front of her, and as she peered at it her eyes widened. "Chief, it's Beta!"

He almost didn't believe her at first, but the seriousness of her expression told him that he was finally getting the status report he was hoping for. He took the device projecting Cortana off of the desk and inserted it into the slot in the back of his helmet. Cortana's image disappeared, becoming merely a voice inside Master Chief's head.

Master Chief turned to the door with his arms crossed, awaiting the knocks that indicated it was Beta. Three knocks rang against the door, then two, then three more.

"Come in," Master Chief called, and the door swung open.

An older man stepped into the nearly-empty room, walking slowly but with a purpose. As he entered, he removed his green cap and pressed it against the medals decorating his chest. His broad shoulders sighed with anticipation as he struggled to recall the news he was supposed to deliver. As always, he appeared unnerved at the lack of typical furniture decorating the room; having to cross such a large room to make it to a single desk struck him as unnecessary, but he was obliged to do so.

"I'm sure you know I have news, Commander," Beta rasped. His chest heaved from the struggle of walking up so many flights of stairs, and his eyes were tired from so many hours of working. Nevertheless, he stared at Master Chief with an air of admiration, something rare that the Commander appreciated.

"You always do," Master Chief replied. Beta was one of the few soldiers who stood out to him; he was one of his first allies upon entering the realm and was the first to stand by his side. That earned Beta a place at his side, a second-in-command of the armies. All soldier reports went to Beta first, and he was always capable of filtering out the unimportant to deliver to the Commander. "You took your time."

"I just got reports myself," Beta muttered. Adding with a hint of bitterness, "It takes a while to run thirty flights of stairs."

"You seem to accomplish it just fine."

"I hide it well, then," he chuckled. The smile dropped as quickly as it appeared, and he began the report: "All four fronts have reported their losses. The Pokémon attack was a complete failure; most men weren't able to reach the tunnel's exit. They report screeches from a powerful beast, followed quickly by a blast of white energy that completely evaporated them. Survivors are waiting for reinforcements at the tunnel entrance. They wanted to ask if you would advise them to go on the defensive."

"Not a single man made it through?"

"Not according to my reports. Hundreds went in, and all were slain."

Master Chief hesitated. Cortana whispered for him to advise them to wait, so he told the same to Beta.

"Right. The Fire Emblem front is much more successful; the initial attack allowed troops to establish a base around the tunnel. They're moving through the continent searching for Lucina. The Legend of Zelda front also established a base around the lake, but a large blockade covered by the enemy has halted all progress. They're currently fighting the enemy, but they're having a hard time."

Master Chief nodded. "And the Mushroom Kingdom realm?"

At that, Beta smiled satisfactorily. "They were completely overrun. The enemy was slaughtered, and the realm is ours. The Supreme General has already moved into the realm and has captured the large castle overlooking the world. Troops were able to infiltrate and conquer the Dreamland realm as well."

For the second time in so long, Master Chief was shocked. He had never expected a realm to fall so quickly. "You're positive?"

"I had multiple reports confirm it," answered Beta. "They also reported the tunnel leading to the Star Fox realm wasn't where it was rumored. They're still searching for it, but they've only found caves in the mountains."

Master Chief recalled the stinging pains he felt hours earlier. "They won't find the tunnels," he said. "Both of them were destroyed by the _Triumphant Roar_."

Beta hesitated. It was his turn to be surprised. "Were they able to transmit their reports to you directly?" He asked. "You said they weren't capable of communicating across realms."

"They aren't," Master Chief clarified. None of his soldiers knew what a Realm Representative was, or the connection they had with the world. Not even Beta understood. He had no intention of even hinting that he knew something they didn't about the world. To them, he was still just a soldier. "If the soldiers weren't able to find them, then they're gone."

Beta looked unconvinced, but he didn't comment. He put his hat back on his head and exited the room. As the door closed behind him, Master Chief removed the device and placed it back on the desk, and Cortana appeared once more.

"You're a fine actor," she said, smiling.

"I'm not convinced the Mushroom Kingdom realm truly fell," Master Chief said, looking at the map on the wall. "Mario escaped, and Metaknight escaped, or else Beta would've reported it as well. A realm cannot fall that easily. They've had months to prepare."

"That is for Bowser to deal with," said Cortana. "At the very least, we've forced Mario and Metaknight to go on the run. Perhaps they were forced into the Star Fox realm when the tunnels were destroyed."

Master Chief immediately discounted the possibility that any Realm Representative was trapped. He was already imagining the possible path they could've traveled. "The tunnels were destroyed hours apart. The Realm Representatives know where all of the tunnels are, and they had plenty of time to escape if there was the possibility that the _Triumphant Roar_ could've fired again." Assumptions, admittedly, but with the enemy having multiple months to prepare he had to make them.

"The three of them are together," Master Chief concluded. He walked to his desk and pulled a stack of wanted posters out of a drawer. Posters drawn from intelligence gathered by scouts over the past several months. Names were printed at the top above a large picture of the person in question with his realm printed below. He placed three of them on top and put the rest away. "Mario, Metaknight, and Krystal are together." He paused for a moment, thinking.

Cortana looked at the posters as well. "They're so different," she noted. "They have to stand out if they venture into other realms."

"They won't let themselves get discovered."

Cortana looked up at him. "You may be overvaluing their abilities. I doubt they were all trained in stealth and concealment."

"Better to overvalue than undervalue," Master Chief reasoned. "They will do whatever they can to prevent capture. They likely retreated to the adjoining realms." He pointed to the Pokémon and the Legend of Zelda realms.

Cortana started to see his logic. "They're traveling across realms to gather Realm Representatives?"

"They're forming a resistance," he confirmed. He pointed to the Metroid realm. "If they go south, they will be able to establish a secure base in this realm. They'll have a greater shot at survival."

"But Beta reported that not a single soldier could break through the Pokémon realm's defenses," Cortana recalled. "They will be able to establish another base there."

Master Chief nodded, feeling a rush of excitement and nerves. The Mushroom Kingdom realm was abandoned, but it was a tactical retreat. The realm didn't truly fall. The Realm Representatives were still alive and free. They were running, but they were running with a purpose.

"Cortana, send a message to Beta," Master Chief commanded. "Tell the troops to attack south. Send the majority of our forces to the Mushroom Kingdom and Fire Emblem realms, and send them across the Metroid and Legend of Zelda realms. Break the lines and cut off one of their paths. If the Pokémon realm is untouchable, then we have to refocus our efforts."

He felt a tinge of satisfaction as he watched Cortana messing with the sphere. A few seconds later, Cortana looked up at him. "The message was sent."

"Good." He had made his move. It was the enemy's turn to respond.


	13. Chapter 12

Mario

Luigi

Yoshi

Hammer Bro

Kirby

Metaknight

King Dedede

Fox

Falco

Krystal

Link

Waluigi

* * *

The group stepped cautiously reentering the realm. Fox and Krystal took the lead, using their heightened senses to detect unwanted presences. They found someone immediately, and motioned for the group to remain hidden. The pair leapt toward the forest and disappeared from sight.

A few moments later, Fox walked back into view looking disgruntled. Following him was an equally annoyed Krystal carrying Dry Bones in her arms. At the sight of their friend, the group rushed out of the tunnel.

"Dry Bones!" Mario cried. "What happened to you? Where's Wario?"

Dry Bones struggled slightly, then looked to Krystal for assistance. "Please put me down."

Krystal dropped him, and he collapsed as he hit the ground. A few seconds later, he had reassembled and brushed dirt off of his legs.

"We tried to get into that place you talked about," Dry Bones answered. "Where the enemy was coming from."

"Why?" Fox demanded.

"To find Waluigi," Dry Bones replied. At the mention of his name, Waluigi stepped forward, and Dry Bones' mouth dropped open. "What? How?"

"It's a very long story," Waluigi admitted, smiling guiltily. "I wasn't in the Final Destination realm for long after Mario found me." His smile dropped, and he looked around. "Where's Wario?"

"He was… captured," Dry Bones muttered. "We were able to sneak into the town, and we were searching for that tunnel, but some soldiers spotted us. I managed to run away, but they saw Wario and led him away. There were a lot of them… he didn't even try to fight. I think he gave up."

"That doesn't sound like Wario," wondered Luigi.

Dry Bones looked Luigi dead in the eyes. "You didn't see him after they attacked us. It wasn't my idea to run away. Wario was terrified. His eyes… they were filled with so much fear… I had to convince him to come with me. It was… my fault he got captured."

"You just said it wasn't your idea," said Falco.

"Wario grabbed me," Dry Bones clarified, turning to Falco. "I couldn't struggle out of his grip. So I ran with him. And seeing as he didn't want to go back to you guys, we only had so many places to go. So, Falco, it wasn't my idea to run, but it was my idea to go to the… Final Destination realm, was it?"

Falco didn't look convinced, so Dry Bones turned back to Mario. "So when Wario was captured, I followed him. They took him to the castle. To Bowser. I could sneak through the town without trouble; my natural disguise helped. But the castle's entrance was guarded by several soldiers. I didn't want to risk abusing my disguise, so I left the town intending to find you guys." He smiled bitterly. "But of course you found me."

"So Wario's dead, then," concluded Falco. "Sucks for the guy, but it isn't our problem."

Mario turned to him, horrified. "Falco! He's our friend!"

"No offense, Mario, but he did nothing but complain and demand answers to questions while we were trying to run," Falco argued. "The guy wasn't a friend; he was a nuisance."

"That's awful!" said Kirby. "We should try to rescue him!"

"He isn't a Realm Representative," said Metaknight. "He isn't a priority."

"I'm not a Realm Representative," argued Kirby, glaring at him. "Would you leave me?"

"We can't leave him!" said Waluigi. "I'm sorry if he was rude to any of you, but he's my best friend!"

"He's strength we could use," suggested King Dedede, sympathizing with Kirby.

"He's weight we can't carry," countered Fox.

"He ran at the first sign of danger," reminded Falco. "He can't be trusted to stay with us."

"We could send him to Rebellion," offered Luigi. "One of us could escort him there!"

"We're not splitting up," said Link. "We have to stay together; all twelve of us."

"Guys! Guys!" Hammer Bro shouted over the argument. The others quieted down and turned to him. "We're not going to be unanimous on this. We should put it to a vote."

"It's a waste of time," said Metaknight. "The longer we stand still-"

"Then let's rescue him quickly," Mario finished.

"We know nothing of the situation," said Fox. "We don't know where he is in the castle, don't know how many troops are patrolling, don't know their weapons, don't know their locations. We don't know if he's still alive."

"It's suicide," Falco concluded. "We'd get lost in the castle trying to find him, surrounded by troops, and captured or killed."

"That's assuming we make it to the castle in the first place," added Krystal. "We would be spotted immediately upon reaching that town in the distance because we all stand out."

"We do have a way into the castle," Hammer Bro said. "There's a secret passage."

"That led to Peach's Castle," argued Yoshi. "Peach's Castle was crashed."

"There were other paths," said Mario. "They weren't all destroyed."

"This is ridiculous!" Metaknight growled. "There is no logical reason to rescue him. He made his choice when we were attacked, and he chose poorly!"

"We aren't abandoning him without at least voting!" cried Waluigi.

"Leave him," said Metaknight immediately. He looked to Krystal, who nodded in agreement.

"We're rescuing him," said Mario.

Link took a glance at Waluigi, and then he said, "I want to rescue him."

"Two against two," Falco smirked amusedly. "Better give us non-representatives a chance to vote. We matter too, after all."

Metaknight sighed. "What do the rest of you vote?" He begrudgingly asked.

Fox, Falco, and Yoshi voted to abandon him, but Waluigi, Kirby, Luigi, King Dedede, and Hammer Bro all voted to save him. With the choice made, those in the minority were furious, but Dry Bones looked at his allies as if they were saviors.

"Thank you," Dry Bones whispered. "Thank you all so much!"

"If we die," Falco muttered, glaring at Waluigi. "I'm killing you."

"We'll need a plan," said Hammer Bro, looking to Mario. "I've been inside Bowser's Castle so many times. I can take us to key places if you all have some good ideas."

"He'll be in the dungeon or the throne room," Mario reasoned. "Either Bowser is still speaking with him, or he's done with him."

Hammer Bro ran to a nearby tree and ripped off a stick. "We should draw a map."

"We should come up with an actual plan," muttered Fox. "Do we have anything more solid than 'sneak in and hope no one sees us'?"

"I could run to my tribe," Hammer Bro suggested. "It's a few days away, but we could pose like we're attempting to reunite with Bowser's army." He nodded at Dry Bones. "He could do the same with his tribe."

"A few days away?" Link repeated. He shook his head. "No. We need an immediate plan if we're to do this."

Hammer Bro tapped his hammer to his head in thought. "Dry Bones and I could scout ahead of the rest of you."

"If a soldier spots you, the only one of your species in the castle?" Fox asked.

"I like the map idea," Dry Bones offered. "Maybe a passage of the tunnel leads directly to the dungeon."

Metaknight, who had been silent once he lost the vote, stepped forward. "I'll fly and get an aerial view of the castle. Perhaps there's an entrance on the roof."

"You changed your mind quickly," noted Falco.

"If we're to do this, we will do it efficiently and quickly," said Metaknight. "Draw maps and find the quickest route to the dungeons or the throne room. I will return shortly."

Metaknight unfurled his wings, knelt down, and then rocketed into the sky. Hammer Bro ripped off a second stick and handed it to Mario, and the two started to draw rough maps of the castle and tunnel system into the dirt. After several minutes, the drawings were finished, and the group tried to imagine the maps on top of each other. It appeared that a single offshoot was just next to where the dungeon should have been.

"So that's our best bet," concluded Mario, glad that they had a plan.

"Now we just have to hope the tunnel didn't collapse when Bowser's Castle crushed Peach's Castle," said Yoshi.

Before Mario could respond, Metaknight landed silently next to them. He walked up to the maps, took a brief glance at them, and then turned to Mario.

"Where is the entrance these tunnels?"

"Around the entrance to the Dreamland realm," Mario answered. He pointed. "It's a few minutes of walking."

"It'd take us around an hour," corrected Yoshi, looking at him curiously.

"We'd take the trolley," said Mario. "That would make the walk easier." He turned to Metaknight, hoping for good news. "What did you find?"

"The entire castle is overrun with soldiers," Metaknight replied. "On all rooves, surrounding the castle, surrounding the town. I dove as low as I dared, and I saw several hundred walking everywhere."

Mario's heart felt heavy, and he struggled to attempt to spin the news positively. "There might not be a lot of Bowser's minions on the inside."

"Mario," Metaknight said calmly. "I meant soldiers. Bowser's troops outnumbered the soldiers three-to-one. There are thousands of enemy troops in the area. I insist it is suicide to continue to rescue Wario."

"Mario," Krystal placed a calm hand on his shoulder. "I think you have to accept that we won't be able to rescue Wario."

"But…" Mario stared at the maps, at his one plan. He didn't want to give up. He couldn't give up. He had to find a way to save him. But then the thought flashed through his mind that soldiers had already found the tunnel, or that the tunnel had completely collapsed with no way to get into the castle, or that the tunnel collapsed behind them as they were traveling, or that Wario was already gone, and their plan was for nothing.

He heard a sigh behind him, and he turned to see Waluigi's defeated expression. "Mario… it's okay. We… we have to accept it."

Mario turned to Hammer Bro, who was glaring at the maps. Mario could tell that he was thinking carefully about what he was going to say next. He looked furious. Mario reached out to him, but Hammer Bro looked at Dry Bones and took several meaningful steps toward him. Hammer Bro snatched Dry Bones' arm and looked him dead in the eye.

"You want to rescue Wario?" He demanded. "You want to correct your mistake?"

Dry Bones barely had time to register the questions before he was shaken violently by Hammer Bro.

"They kidnapped him," Hammer Bro growled. "They're going to kill him. Do you want to rescue him?"

"Y-yes-" Dry Bones managed to get out before Hammer Bro turned swiftly to the others.

"All of us won't sneak into the castle, but Dry Bones and I can pose as minions," Hammer Bro decided. "We'll go in, find where Wario is, and come back out. You all can wait safely for us to return."

"We are not separating," said Metaknight, turning on him. "If you two are discovered and captured, we will not be able to rescue you; your lives will be thrown away for nothing."

"That doesn't bother me," Dry Bones said dryly.

"How would you suggest you enter the castle if it's being guarded by soldiers?" asked Krystal. "Do you want to use the tunnels or go in some other way?"

"We'll walk in," said Hammer Bro confidently. "We'll tell the soldiers why we're here, and we will be escorted inside safely. We'll find Wario, and then we'll leave."

"You'll get captured and killed," said Falco. He shook his head in disbelief. "Why are we still debating this? None of us can make it inside and save the bastard. We need to move on and rescue people who still have a chance of being saved!"

"Since when have you cared about Wario?" asked Yoshi suspiciously. "All of a sudden you're insisting on saving him?"

"I have my reasons," Hammer Bro replied. "I'm not risking my life for Wario. I'm risking my life to stop whatever Bowser's trying to do."

"Sorry if I find it hard to believe you'd rather stop Bowser than join him," Yoshi retorted.

That comment made Hammer Bro furious. He was barely able to hold back his rage as he spoke slowly, "Bowser killed hundreds of my friends and family and threatened to kill me multiple times. When he disappeared, my tribe rejoiced. We would never return to him; we'd sooner die."

"Bowser wouldn't do that," Kirby insisted. "He's much nicer than you remember!"

Hammer Bro chose to ignore that comment. "We can do this!" He pleaded, turning to Mario. "We can save him! I know we can!"

Mario didn't hesitate. He had no intention of turning down this last hope. "Of course you can," he said, smiling. "We trust you!"

Hammer Bro nodded, his grip still firm on Dry Bones. "Let's go, then, quickly." He ran off into the forest, with Dry Bones struggling to keep up.

The group turned to Mario with mixed expressions of hope, of satisfaction, of concern, of disappointment, of disapproval. Mario ignored them all. He couldn't lose Wario. It was his fault Wario was in that castle, and he couldn't give up for his sake.

"We'd better go, then," said Fox. He glanced at Metaknight. "Unless you want to stop them."

"We'll wait," Metaknight said, staring at the pair disappearing. "Stopping them would… fracture us. If we see soldiers, we abandon them. If they take longer than an hour, we abandon them." He looked at Mario. "We are all in agreement."

Mario had faith in the pair. He nodded, despite not believing they would have to abandon anyone. The group followed them at a distance through the forest, stopping just outside the edge to observe them. The pair crept into the town, passing by several soldiers who didn't pay any attention to them. A single soldier stopped them, but after some incomprehensible words were exchanged the pair continued to the castle unopposed.

The pair reached the castle doors, where they were stopped by a group of several soldiers. More words were exchanged, and after an excruciating amount of time, the pair was escorted into the castle by a pair of soldiers. The doors slammed shut, and the pair was separated.

* * *

Thirty minutes passed with no movement inside the castle. Hidden by the tree's shadows, the group was invisible to all of the soldiers patrolling the walls. Metaknight observed the castle from above multiple times, but each time he passed by he saw nothing that looked like Hammer Bro or Dry Bones. Each time he rejoined the group, he disappointed them all with no news. The group took the time to seriously discuss their strategy traveling through the realms, and they all seemed satisfied with their path. Barring obstacles forcing them to detour, they had a solid strategy for the coming days.

The front doors opened, causing the group to tense up and hide themselves deeper in the brush. The figure revealed itself to be one of the seven Koopalings, Lemmy. He waddled out, whispered something to the soldiers, and skipped toward the group.

"Oh no," Mario whispered, as the group tensed. "They found the prisoners."

"Why's he coming toward us?" Luigi asked. Lemmy had a bright goofy smile on his face. "Does he know we're here?"

"We have to run," Fox whispered. "They know. Somehow they know we're here."

The group took steps deeper into the forest, hiding behind trees as Lemmy approached their previous hiding spot. Lemmy stepped behind the brush they had hidden behind, his goofy smile fading.

"So he was lying, was he?" Lemmy giggled to himself. "Bowser isn't going to be happy…"

Suddenly Metaknight flew forward and dove into Lemmy, grabbing him by the neck and throwing him to the ground. He kept one hand over his mouth while his other held Galaxia to his throat menacingly.

"Make a sound, and I will slit your throat," Metaknight threatened. "Do we understand?"

Lemmy's eyes were focused solely on Galaxia's tip. He nodded rapidly, while the group approached. At the sound of approaching footsteps, his eyes searched around until they fell on Mario, and suddenly his face brightened.

"Speak quietly," said Metaknight, slowly removing his grip. "Or you won't speak again."

"Fine, fine," Lemmy whispered. "Mario! It's so good to see you again! We all thought you ran away!"

"Where are they?" Mario demanded. "Where are Dry Bones and Hammer Bro? Where's Wario?"

"The colosseum, of course," Lemmy giggled. "Where else would they be?"

"What colosseum?" Mario asked. "There isn't one anywhere in the Mushroom Kingdom."

"You know that moat surrounding Peach's old castle? It got drained. Sure, it's still under construction, but it's going to be gre-"

Before Lemmy could finish his sentence, Metaknight had taken off once again. He flew low enough to spot anything in the drained moat. Indeed, just as Lemmy had said, Metaknight saw several figures in a large section to the right of the castle. The moment Metaknight saw the bright yellow of Wario, he flew back to the others. By the time he arrived, Mario had finished questioning Lemmy and was debating what to do with him.

"He told the truth," Metaknight confirmed. "Part of the moat has been repurposed into a small arena; stands are being built, and several of Bowser's minions are occupying seats. Wario is in the center." He looked at Mario. "It's a trap. Bowser knows we're here, and he wants us to rescue Wario."

"Did you see Hammer Bro or Dry Bones?" asked Mario.

"I saw a lot of turtles," Metaknight replied nonchalantly. "I couldn't tell if they were amongst them."

"They're there," Lemmy giggled. "They're waiting for you, Mario."

"Only me?" Mario asked. When Lemmy nodded, Mario felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I know what you're thinking, Mario," said his brother. "You aren't going alone. If you're captured or killed…"

"And we aren't going together, because if we go into this trap where we're surrounded, our mission will fail," added Krystal.

"I'll go with you," Kirby volunteered. "Bowser wouldn't hurt me. I know he wouldn't!"

"You were friends with him in the past," said Yoshi. "But we keep telling you that the Bowser you know was lost long ago."

"I won't know for sure until I see for myself!"

"To be fair, they don't know about the rest of you," said Lemmy, and the group turned to him. "They really only care about Mario. Maybe Luigi as well. The rest of you can go."

"Then if they care about me, I'll go as well," said Luigi.

"This isn't your-" Mario began, but there was a certain determination in Luigi's eyes that kept him from furthering the point. "Of course, brother."

Luigi forced a smile, despite his fears. "If they want the Mario brothers, they'll have the Mario brothers."

"I could take you all to the arena," Lemmy offered hopefully. "You can get Wario and be on your way!"

"How are we supposed to enter the arena if it's being surrounded by soldiers?" asked Mario.

"Oh, the soldiers obey us! If you walk with me, they'll let us through," Lemmy smiled. His eyes darted to Galaxia, who had been unsheathed once again. "See, that's more than enough reason to keep me alive!"

"We won't need you alive," Metaknight threatened.

"Metaknight," Mario placed a firm hand on Metaknight's, forcing the sword away. "You're right to be worried, but I have to do this."

"No, you don't," Metaknight countered. "You have to recruit the other Realm Representatives. This… what you're tempted to do… it's brought about by guilt. It's nothing more than a selfish mission to redeem yourself for a problem that wasn't your fault to begin with. It's a distraction from our real mission!"

"You don't have to wait for me," Mario said firmly. "You all can go, and I'll rejoin you later."

"We aren't separating!" King Dedede insisted.

"Then come with me!" Mario said, grabbing Lemmy and lifting him onto his feet. "Or find a way to rescue me if I need it." He looked to Luigi and Kirby as he pushed Lemmy forward. "Let's go."

Despite the wishes of his group and the insistence of his fellow Realm Representatives, Mario stepped out of hiding with Luigi and Kirby right behind. Lemmy recovered from the sharp push and walked confidently forward, giddy with anticipation. Mario felt no fear. He had one and only one goal: rescue his friends. Metaknight was wrong; their capture was his fault, and he would right that wrong.

Lemmy walked past dozens of soldiers, shouting at them to go about their business, and the soldiers barely batted an eye. Even though several men stared at Mario with recognition in their eyes, and whispers began to spread, they obeyed the orders of the Koopaling, and the four of them were able to pass safely.

Being so close, Mario was able to see what little remained of Peach's Castle. Aside from the few white bricks scattered around the field, it was as if the castle had never existed. Bowser's Castle had dug into the ground, and the previous castle had been completely smothered.

Lemmy led them past the giant stone Bowser head and down a dirt slope that fell into the moat. As the four slid down the slope, the audience in the stands erupted into cheers. It was so sudden that Mario stopped sliding and ducked, expecting to be attacked. Lemmy turned around, tilting his head curiously.

"What? You think we'd go through all this trouble to bring you here and just attack you without a show?" He held his arms wide and grinned. "Look at this crowd! They're all expecting a show!"

Luigi looked up the slope to see that several soldiers had taken position at the top. There was no way for them to turn back. "Why do they want a show? What kind of a show?"

Lemmy shrugged. "That's for Bowser to decide."

"Where is Bowser?" asked Kirby.

Lemmy pointed up in the direction of Bowser's Castle, the complete opposite direction of the stands. "Way up there. But don't worry; he's watching."

With no way to go but forward, the four slid down to the dry floor of the moat. The stones were still wet, and there were a few puddles of water scattered around, but otherwise nothing remained of the giant beautiful river flowing around the castle. There was little of interest at ground level, although when Mario finally caught a glimpse of yellow, he sprinted toward it.

He slid beside Wario, who was lying unmoving on the ground. He flipped Wario over and gasped at the amount of blood dripping from his bruised and wounded face. Wario was unrecognizable; his face was covered in black markings and was incredibly swollen. He struggled to breathe, a short whispered rasping that could barely get air through the lumps blocking his nostrils. His body was just as bruised, with his arms taking significant punishment.

"Oh no…" Mario cried. "Wario… what did they do to you?"

Wario's eyes were swollen shut, and he could barely hear. He swiped weakly at the air, but otherwise he had made no motion that he recognized the person holding him so carefully.

"Oh my goodness!" Luigi gasped as he and Kirby approached them. "Wario!"

"Wario!" Kirby shouted. "Are you okay?"

"He can't hear us," Mario whispered. He set Wario down and ran over to Lemmy, who was walking toward the stands. The crowd started booing, getting Lemmy's attention.

"Hey!" Lemmy shouted, breaking into a sprint in an attempt to outrun Mario. "Get away! I brought you here!"

"What happened to him?" Mario shouted furiously, managing to catch up with Lemmy and grab his tuft of hair. He slid to a stop, causing Lemmy to lurch backward and fall onto his back. "Tell me what happened!"

"I don't know!" Lemmy pleaded, seeing the rage in Mario's eyes. "I wasn't there! Ask… I don't know who to ask! Just not me!"

Mario looked up at the crowd, at the hundreds of Goombas and Koopas and Shy Guys and Boos all booing at him. He wanted to interrogate each and every one of them to find out who did this to Wario. He wanted to run right up to Bowser's throne room and demand to know if he did this. He wanted answers.

He looked at Lemmy with malice in his eyes and threw the Koopaling away. Lemmy crashed into the stone wall and slid to the ground in a daze.

"You want a show?" Mario shouted to the crowd. The crowd's boos turned to cheers in response. "Well, bring me the person who did this to Wario! I want to know!"

"Mario," Luigi said, struggling to lift Wario to his feet. "We… we have him. We need to go."

Mario couldn't just let this injustice go! Wario was dying because of him. He had to be able to do something.

"Mario!" Kirby shouted. "Can you find an exit?"

Mario tore his gaze away from the crowd and searched the moat. The drain had been covered by a sheet with a stone pattern; it was invisible without a careful inspection, and Mario had no idea where the drain was exactly. The pillars underneath the bridge had been filled to the top with hundreds of pounds of dirt, so there was no escape that way. The slope leading to the stands had been removed, and the slope to the castle was guarded by dozens of soldiers. There was no entrance into the castle from this section of the moat, and there was little chance they would be able to haul Wario up any of the walls.

"No, there's no way out," Mario grimaced. He ran back over to Luigi and Kirby and helped Wario to his feet. Wario swayed and immediately began to tilt, and the three of them struggled to keep him up. "There's no way we can get out with him."

A shadow passed over them, and Kirby looked to the sky. "Maybe Metty could help us."

The brothers looked up as well, seeing Metaknight soaring above them, keeping an eye on them.

"He's watching over us," Mario said. "He won't intervene unless we're in real danger."

Luigi looked nervously at the soldiers overlooking them, several with guns trained on them. "Are… are we not? We're trapped!"

"They're waiting for something," Mario replied. "The crowd wants some sort of show, so that's why we're still here."

"I wish the show would just start then," Luigi muttered.

A deep thunderous laughter echoed over the land. A dark ominous guffaw that resonated misery and mockery. A roar of victory. And then a shout of pain equally as terrifying. And then something was thrown into the air that blocked the setting sun, a shadow that cast over those in the moat. That object splattered on the ground, rolling several times until it rolled to a stop a distance away.

Even so far away, however, with a horrifying grip around his heart, Mario could see exactly what that object was. Something so disgusting, so awful, that his brother immediately retched upon glimpsing it.

"No…" Kirby whispered, forcing himself to look away.

"Bowser… will pay," Mario swore as he looked upon what remained of Hammer Bro's severed head.


	14. Chapter 13

Mario

Luigi

Yoshi

Kirby

Metaknight

King Dedede

Fox

Falco

Krystal

Link

Waluigi

Wario

* * *

Mario felt a rush of terror, and he forced himself to look away from the head of his ally. Of his friend. Of a brave soul who volunteered his life for someone else. Who died for someone else. Who died for him. Because it was his fault.

At that thought, Mario knew immediately that the one and only priority was to get Luigi, Kirby, and Wario out safely. His eyes darted around the arena again, searching for an exit. He was desperate to escape; he started toward the slope they had used to enter the colosseum. He'd fight through the soldiers and buy time for his friends to escape.

"We're leaving!" Mario commanded. Luigi and Kirby looked at each other nervously, weakly dragging Wario behind them. Mario stopped, forgetting they couldn't lift Wario, and ran back for them, grabbing Wario's shoulder and heaving. "I'll fight the soldiers while you take Wario and run." He looked up, searching the skies for Metaknight. "Metaknight will help."

"That's your plan?" Luigi asked, stopping in disbelief. "Mario, you have to think of something better than that!"

"I don't want any of you to die as well!" Mario shouted, and he took another regretful look at the head. "The longer we wait, the more time they have to attack us."

But before they could continue, the dark laughter from before morphed itself into a voice that roared across the land. "Mario, I hope you're happy with my gift. I still have to deliver the rest; I'll be down shortly."

"Bowser's coming," Kirby whispered, his voice a mixture of fear and hope.

"He killed Hammer Bro," Luigi reminded him. "He did this to Wario, and we don't know what happened to Dry Bones!"

Then a plume of flames erupted from a Bowser statue near the top of the castle. There was a rush of wind, and then a massive quake as the giant turtle landed on top of the stands. His landing cracked the ground, causing the audience to scream in fear as they scuttled to safety. The four in the arena fell onto each other due to the shaking, and they struggled to their fear looking at the monster who'd destroyed their home and killed their friend.

The remnants of black smoke puffed out of Bowser's nostrils as he snorted in amusement. "Mario, Luigi, and…" The slightest of hesitations. "Kirby. I didn't expect the three of you to rescue him of all people. I thought you hated each other." He grinned menacingly. "Of course, I really only need Mario. You others could die or scram and I wouldn't bat an eye."

"Bowser!" Mario shouted, enraged. "What did you do to Hammer Bro? What did you do to Wario? Where's Dry Bones?"

"Hammer Bro?" Bowser repeated curiously, putting his claw to his chin in thought. He scraped his claws against each other, mimicking a snap, and said cheerfully, "Oh, yes! The rest of your present!" He reached behind his shell and slid something impaled onto his spike. He tossed it into the arena. "Maybe you'll bury him now that you have the whole thing!"

The headless body of Hammer Bro landed feet from them, a bloody mess with a giant hole at the chest. The group stared at it hopelessly.

"As for Wario," Bowser continued. "It wasn't me who did that to him. I would've finished the job. No… it was my Koopalings who nearly beat him to death. All seven of them. They needed something fun to do after they'd been locked up for nearly a year. Oh yes, and as for Dry Bones…"

The sound of whirling blades slicing through the air grew closer and closer, descending from the top of the castle. Those in the arena looked to the sky, seeing black soulless eyes and an orange smiling mouth on a large white metal sphere. Driving the vehicle was Bowser Jr, sticking his tongue out and pointing his finger at those below.

"You're all dead!" Bowser Jr taunted. "Papa's gonna make mincemeat of you!"

But the thing that horrified Mario the most was the person seated next to Bowser Jr. Dry Bones looked relaxed and calm staring down at his allies; he didn't look guilty, didn't look like a prisoner. When Bowser Jr drove the Koopa Clown Car down next to his father, Dry Bones hopped out and stood next to Bowser himself.

That was when realization struck. "Dry Bones?" Mario asked. "You…"

"Dry Bones gave away Wario to me, and then he gave away Hammer Bro to me," Bowser explained. "And he also gave away whoever else was with you. Not that I care; I only want you."

"Dry Bones?" Mario still couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. He refused to believe that someone could have betrayed him. "Dry Bones please tell me it's not true!"

But Dry Bones remained silent, staring down at them dismissively. Bowser spoke for him, chuckling at Mario's misery. "Of course it's true! It was his brilliant idea in the first place!"

"I was heading toward the other realm," Dry Bones finally spoke. "I was going to search for you in there. But you all saved me the trouble by finding me first."

"Why would you do this?" Luigi shouted in anguish. "You could've been safe with us!"

Dry Bones lifted his arms in the air, looking around. "We lost," he said. "If the Mushroom Kingdom fell so quickly to this army, the rest of these realms won't last long. I want to live; I'm going to choose the winning side."

"You're a coward!" Luigi shouted. "You're… you're pathetic!"

"Strong words, coming from you," Bowser retorted. The audience broke into uproarious laughter. Bowser smiled, pleased with himself. "Of course, Luigi, I don't need you bothering us." He looked at the soldiers across the moat. "Kill him."

Mario didn't hesitate. He leapt in front of his brother, shielding him. Before the soldiers could fire, Bowser growled. "Stop! Stop!"

Bowser glared at those below. "Damn you, Mario. Of course I can't kill you. Fine; use that against me. I'll just have to separate you all. Koopalings! Attack!"

"Stay by me," Mario whispered to the others. "Do not leave my side."

"Mario," Luigi could barely whisper. "I'm scared…"

As Lemmy was joined by his six brothers and sisters, all lining up below the stands, Mario replied: "You shouldn't be. You should be angry."

"This colosseum was built for a reason, wasn't it?" Bowser shouted. The audience cheered in response. "It's time to give this audience a show! Leave Mario alive, but kill the others!"

As the seven Koopalings approached, Mario and Luigi pulled Wario back toward the cliff. Kirby pulled a hammer out of seemingly nowhere and held it over his head.

"Stay back!" Kirby shouted, backing up. "I'll hurt you!"

"This is annoying," Morton groaned. "Roy, let's knock them down!"

"Aye!" Roy agreed, and he ducked into his spiny shell. Morton pulled out a large mallet and whacked it into his brother. Roy hurtled toward the group, who barely managed to duck in time. Roy crashed into the wall, creating a large dent, and ricocheted off into the center of the moat.

Wendy and Larry pulled out wands and waved them in the air, creating golden rings and blue fireballs, and sent them at their opponents. Meanwhile, Morton ran toward Roy prepared to swing his mallet. Iggy, Lemmy, and Ludwig stayed behind with their wands at the ready.

Mario pushed Wario away to narrowly dodge a fireball, and then he quickly scrambled back to him before the soldiers above could take advantage of their momentary separation. The rings bounced harmlessly away, although the brothers made sure to remember where they were in case they bounced toward them again. When the fireballs disappeared, Morton fired Roy at them once again.

This time, Kirby was prepared. He swung his hammer upward just as Roy reached them. He hit his mark, and Roy flew above the moat's walls and flew into the distance.

Morton gulped guiltily. "Uh, sorry Roy!" He shouted uselessly. The other Koopalings glared at him.

Ludwig pointed his wand at him. "You're going in your shell next," he commanded.

"Well done, Kirby," Luigi congratulated, helping Wario to his feet. "Good aim."

"Thanks," Kirby said calmly, keeping his hammer at the ready. "Just keep Wario safe. I'll fight them if I have to."

"You shouldn't have to do it alone," said Luigi, looking to Mario. "I could help."

Mario ignored him. "Kirby, you're too far away," he glanced at the soldiers above. "Come closer, please."

Kirby backed up, and Mario stepped forward slightly to shield him. The golden rings had finally disappeared, and the Koopalings had swapped positions. Ludwig, Lemmy, and Iggy were waving their wands, creating a rainbow of fireballs. Once again, the group barely managed to avoid the attack as all of the balls were fired wildly at them.

As the four were getting to their feet, Wario grunted. "Can't… dodge… forever…"

"We can't risk separating, either," Mario said, relieved that he was able to speak.

"Can we turn their attacks against them?" Kirby asked.

"Their attacks barely reach us," reasoned Luigi. "They wouldn't be able to bounce back and hit them. Wendy's is too unreliable."

The Koopalings were rotating again. Kirby shouted at them, "What? You have to rely on magic to hurt us?"

"Puffball's right," Bowser said, sneering. "It's boring if you don't actually attack. The best part was seeing Roy fly out of the arena; at least he did something."

Morton stomped his foot furiously. "Fine!" He shouted, throwing his wand aside and pulling out his mallet again. "You want us to fight? I'll fight!"

Before any of the other Koopalings could stop him, Morton charged at the group, weapon raised high. Kirby met him, running forward and swinging his own hammer. The two weapons collided, surprisingly even despite Morton's clear advantage in size and strength. Morton stepped back, repositioned his mallet, and swung again. Kirby leapt over the attack and swung down, cracking the back of Morton's skull and sending him into the ground. Before Morton could get up, Luigi ran forward and kicked the mallet out of his grip, and then he stomped on his head for good measure. Mario took a few steps forward and roughly pulled Luigi back to Wario.

"Good work," Mario said after mumbling an apology to his brother. "Get back here, Kirby."

"Quit fighting them one at a time!" Dry Bones shouted in annoyance.

"Shut up!" Bowser Jr growled. "You can't command our Koopalings!"

"I'm telling them not to be idiots," Dry Bones countered, returning Bowser Jr's glare. His confidence plummeted when Bowser growled behind him.

"Maybe you'd like to join them."

Dry Bones shook his head quickly, taking a few steps away from the king and prince. He didn't want to provoke them; their alliance was precarious enough already.

Meanwhile, the five remaining Koopalings had taken Dry Bones' advice and decided to forego their wands as well. They charged at the group with various weapons raised in attack. Kirby had started forward in response, his own weapon in the air.

But before the Koopalings reached them, a shadow darted across the arena. In an instant, Metaknight had appeared between the groups of attackers. The Koopalings tripped over themselves in their surprise, while Kirby barely managed to stop in time.

"Metty!" Kirby cheered.

Metaknight didn't respond. His sword was poised for attack. Iggy got to his feet first, cracking a whip as he charged. Metaknight neatly dodged the whip and sliced down, cutting the whip in half. Iggy stopped, staring at his half of the whip.

"How could you do that?" He cried, tossing the whip aside and charging with his claws raised. Metaknight blocked the first swipe, dodged the second, and thrust the sword forward. Iggy yelped in surprise, blocking the sword with his arm. Galaxia sliced clean through, and when Metaknight pulled it out, a long thin wound ran the length of Iggy's forearm. He screamed in pain, clutching the wound with his free hand, and ran to safety behind his family.

"That's what you get for losing your weapon," Larry sneered, gripping his own weapon tighter. He motioned for Wendy to follow him, and together the pair of Koopalings jumped on Metaknight.

Metaknight dodged Larry's hammer while Wendy swung her wrist rings like a blade. Kirby jumped forward and blocked her weapon with the hilt of his hammer. Splinters sprayed from the impact, but the hammer remained intact. Metaknight pulled Kirby away as Larry swung at him, and the four separated from each other.

"Remain out of danger," Metaknight warned. "I will handle this myself."

"Not if I can help," Kirby argued.

"Return to the others," Metaknight pointed at Ludwig and Lemmy, who had run around the attackers and toward those behind them. "They need you more than I."

Kirby sighed in frustration and followed the Koopalings. Metaknight turned to face his opponents.

"You're really brave," Wendy laughed mockingly. "Taking two of us on by yourself."

"Kill him!" Iggy shouted from the sidelines. "Don't taunt him! Kill him!"

Larry glared at his brother. "Cool it, Iggy. You lost; you lick your wounds. The real fighters will hand-"

Metaknight charged forward, closing the distance before Larry could react. Galaxia sliced cleanly through Larry's throat, cutting through his hardened flesh as if it was nothing. Metaknight continued forward, leaping on Iggy as he screamed in panic.

"Larry!" Wendy cried, staring at her dying brother. She resisted the urge to run at him and comfort him, knowing that her opponent would strike her down in her defenselessness. She held her rings in front of her, staring at Metaknight and backing up. Iggy was dead; there was nothing she could do about him. She was waiting for Metaknight to disappear.

But Metaknight came up from Iggy and pointed Galaxia at her. "Drop your weapon and run. Tell your brothers to leave the Mushroom Kingdom and never return, or I will cut you down as well."

"I can't!" Wendy cried, looking up at Bowser. "We have to fight!"

Metaknight stepped forward. "Then you have to die."

Wendy stifled tears and held her rings closer to her face. She blinked, and Metaknight disappeared. She cried and circled around, searching for him. She never noticed him above her, Galaxia planted downward. He struck into the top of her skull, digging the sword in deep.

Mario and Luigi were dodging the Koopalings' attacks desperately. They pulled Wario away from the attackers, keeping just out of reach of their weapons. Kirby came to their rescue, striking Ludwig while his back was turned and blocking Lemmy's attack. The two exchanged blows, Kirby with his hammer and Lemmy with his mallet.

"Just let me hit one of you!" Lemmy complained, narrowly avoiding a crushing blow. He barely managed to keep on his feet. "Seriously, it's annoying getting dodged so many times!"

"Kirby, look out!" Mario shouted, jumping forward.

Kirby leapt into the air without looking, and Ludwig's hammer swiped the floor harmlessly underneath him. He swiped his hammer downward, catching the top of Ludwig's head. Ludwig was sent sliding across the ground, landing a few feet away.

It was then that Metaknight had killed Wendy, and the audience made their displeasure known. The resounding groans and boos got the fighters' attention, and they saw the massacre that Metaknight had left.

"Metty!" Kirby gasped in horror. "What did you…"

"Oh no!" Ludwig cried on his knees. "Wendy… Iggy… Larry…" He glared at Metaknight. "You killed my family!"

Lemmy ran forward and grabbed Ludwig by the arm. He had thrown his own weapon away. "Let's go," he whispered. "We need to find Roy!"

"But what about him!" Ludwig pointed. Metaknight hadn't moved from his latest victim, staring at the Koopalings with his sword still imbedded in her skull. "We need to avenge them!"

"We need to leave," Lemmy said, pulling him to his feet. "I'm not dying!"

"What about Morton?"

"He's a big boy. He can handle himself!"

The two Koopalings scrambled up the hill and disappeared behind the line of soldiers. Metaknight glanced the last remaining unconscious Koopaling, but he decided against striking him down. He pulled his sword out of Wendy and let her body fall to the ground.

Bowser stared at Metaknight furiously. He would deal with the cowardly Koopalings later. "Junior," he muttered. "Get inside the castle and stay there until this is done." He snarled before Bowser Jr could argue. "Now."

Bowser Jr pouted, but he eventually got into the Koopa Clown Car and flew inside the castle. With his family safe, Bowser decided to get what he wanted.

"So, Metaknight, I didn't want you before," He shouted. "But I definitely want you now. No one kills my men and gets away with it." He knelt down and then rocketed into the air, hovering for a brief moment before crashing into the arena, crushing the stone and creating a large crater in the center. He landed near Morton, stared at him disappointedly, and kicked his body into the corner underneath the dried waterfall.

"So," Bowser growled, staring at the five before him. He felt no fear; he snarled. "Metaknight, are you the first to die? Or should I start with the brothers."

Metaknight readied his sword. "I'm ready, Bowser."

But Kirby refused to see more bloodshed. He ran in between Metaknight and Bowser, turning from one to the other. "Metaknight, please!" he pleaded. "Stop fighting! You're… you're killing! You never kill!" He turned. "And Bowser! Why are you doing this? We're friends! We're all friends! We laughed with each other; we had fun!"

Bowser stopped flaring his teeth and his mouth slowly dropped to a frown. "Puffball," he sighed. "It's been a long time since those days. I don't want to have to hurt you, but if you don't leave my arena, I'll have to."

Kirby took a step forward. "You can't hurt us! You're good! I know you're good!"

As the two stared at each other, the audience started to grow restless. "Bowser!" Members shouted. "They're getting away!"

"Who is…" Bowser muttered, his gaze moving past the puffballs distracting him and toward the brothers at the other side of the colosseum. The soldiers on the bridge had all been taken down, many of them had fallen to the moat with arrows or singe marks in the back of their heads. The large pile of dirt had been dug into and had collapsed, and the trio was climbing the pile to the waiting arms of Link and Fox.

He stomped his foot in rage and pointed at the escaping men "No! Soldiers! Do your damn job and kill them!"

"Don't do it!" Kirby shouted, running forward. "Bowser, please!"

"Puffball!" Bowser roared. "Get out of my way!" He ran forward, barreling into Kirby and knocking him aside easily.

The soldiers opened fire on them, but the three of them had cleared the pile of dirt and were safely outside the arena. Any soldiers who ran from the stands to the bridge dropped from a laser blast. Metaknight caught Kirby in midair and set him gently on the ground.

"Let's escape while they're distracted," Metaknight advised, readying his cloak to disappear.

"I can't leave!" Kirby argued, struggling to break free. "I need to talk to Bowser!"

Metaknight stared at him incredulously. "Kirby, I understand that you're upset, but you have to understand that this Bowser is not going to spare you because of your past."

"I believe in him!"

Bowser had stopped, shouting orders at the audience and the soldiers who were scrambling to obey. He ordered a manhunt for the men who had somehow escaped under the watchful eye of hundreds of minions. He shouted bloody murder, demanding that the brothers be brought to him and anyone else who helped them, or he would have all of their heads.

"Kirby…" Metaknight muttered. He wanted to escape while they had the opportunity, but he knew that Kirby would not simply let this matter die once they had escaped. He needed Kirby to understand the situation they had been thrust into. "I will wait in the shadows. When you learn, I will rescue you. I will not let you get injured."

Kirby jumped out of Metaknight grasp. He handed his hammer to Metaknight for safe keeping. He had that much faith. "I won't be hurt."

Kirby ran over to Bowser, who was stomping the remains of Iggy's body into bloody chunks. Even that didn't deter him; he shouted at Bowser: "Bowser, please talk to me!"

Bowser looked at him amusedly. "You're still here? You should've run while you got the chance." He scraped the blood off his foot. "Get out of here, Puffball. I'm in a terrible mood, and you're lucky I'm giving you this one opportunity."

"I don't want to run," said Kirby.

"You want to die? I could arrange that easily enough. Just come closer."

But Kirby didn't have that much faith. He stood his ground. "Bowser, please join our side. You could tell all of those soldiers to leave us alone! They'd obey you!"

"It isn't like that, Puffball," said Bowser. "They do what I say for now, but I don't control any of them. I have to get Mario and Metaknight and Link and whoever else I'm ordered to get. If I don't, those soldiers would turn on me and kill me, my son, and my men."

"Then join us! You don't have to obey anyone! You could be free!"

Bowser snorted. "If only it were that easy, Puffball. Problem is, I'm in control of the Mushroom Kingdom. This is my dream. I made a deal with that Master Chief, and as much as I'd like to tell him to shove his demands, I can't. I can't abandon my dream, so I can't run; I can't live my dream until all of those people he wants are gone."

"There's nothing I can say?" Kirby cried. "Nothing to make you change your mind?"

"Maybe before I was locked away for a year and a half," Bowser said. "But I've changed. I don't… care about the rest of you. You all lived your lives freely for so long, and I was abandoned." He shook his head. "Not your fault, Puffball; I don't blame you. But I can't join you, and I never will. Either Master Chief and his army wins, or somehow the rest of you win. I picked my side, and I'm not changing."

Bowser pointed out away from the arena. "Get out while you can. I'll look the other way. I won't tell you again."

Metaknight took that opportunity to appear. He came forward, snatched Kirby, and gave Bowser one long look. "I misjudged you, Bowser," He admitted. "I didn't expect you to remember your past so clearly."

Bowser snarled at him. "I never gave you the same chance, Metaknight. I had a lot of time to think about my few friends, and you aren't one of them."

"Then goodbye, Bowser." Metaknight wrapped his cape around Kirby, and the pair disappeared.

Bowser stomped the ground once again and looked to the sky. "Puffball… this whole damn war is awful. It's… it's just not worth it."

* * *

The hundreds of soldiers surrounding the castle had marched into the surrounding woods to search for the others based on Dry Bones' instructions. The group managed to avoid them, and they decided to take down the few remaining soldiers guarding the entrance. They waited for Bowser to make his appearance and ran into the moat while the guards were distracted.

They dug into the dirt pile and with the four of them attacking, they killed every soldier on top of the bridge quickly. Link and Fox climbed to the top of the pile and pushed it forward, calling for the brothers to run. Once the trio were through, they all climbed down the pile and ran out of the moat, shooting at anyone who tried to follow them.

They ran around the castle and into the woods, circling northward in a wide arc, carefully avoiding the multiple groups of soldiers searching for them. Kirby and Metaknight reappeared shortly into their escape, startling them. It took them nearly an hour to maneuver their way through the trees, but eventually they reached a thicket that covered them completely. It was then, and only then, that they stopped.

They'd kept as silent as possible during their escape. Now that they were relatively safe, they were able to speak. "Wario looks like shit," Falco muttered, wiping blood off his shoulder. "He's dying."

Link rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a glass bottle filled with a sloshing red liquid. He uncorked it and carefully tipped the contents into Wario's mouth. Wario forced every drop down, and almost immediately his bruises began to shrink. Eventually, Wario's face was healed, and he was able to move.

"How many of those do you have?" Waluigi asked.

Link smiled guiltily. "That was my only bottle. I hadn't expected to use it so soon. I would've gotten more if I had more time to prepare."

"So… what happened?" Krystal asked carefully. "I could barely see the arena. It looked bloody."

"Hammer Bro's dead," Mario said bitterly. "Dry Bones betrayed us to Bowser."

"Figured as much," muttered Yoshi. "I didn't trust him."

"We saved Wario," Falco noted. "The mission was a success, for what it's worth."

Mario nodded, appreciating the sentiment. He watched Wario lying on the ground. His breathing had steadied, and he was looking from person to person as they spoke, but he groaned with each movement and his face seemed permanently pained. It didn't even seem worth it; they had sacrificed Hammer Bro for him. He was finally understanding the full impact of his choice and the reservations of the group.

He decided. "It was worth it," He agreed. He had to look forward. The decision was made, and he'd have to live with it. "Wario was worth it."

At that, Wario forced himself to sit up. He looked at Mario with tears in his eyes. "…Thank you," he managed to say. "I'm… sorry for everything."


End file.
